INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Commission for Africa

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the Commission for Africa.

Hilary Benn: Following the second successful meeting of the Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, the Commission has produced its consultation document, which is now available on its website. The Commission will be seeking the views of governments, civil society and businesses within and beyond Africa, on this document until 17 December. I hope that hon. Members will continue to feed in their views and comments on the Commission's work over the coming months. I expect that the final report will be published in March 2005.

Departmental Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of (a) decoration and (b) refurbishment of the London offices of the Department was in each of the last four years.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The cost of redecoration and refurbishment of DFID's two London offices in each of the last four years were as follows:
	1 Palace Street redecoration:
	2000–01: Nil
	2001–02: £7,975
	2002–03: Nil
	2003–04: £615
	20 Victoria Street redecoration:
	2000–01: Nil
	2001–02: Nil
	2002–03: Nil
	2003–04: Nil
	In addition to the above, major refurbishment projects were carried out on the two offices. These were:
	1 Palace Street, 2000–01 to 2001–02, total project cost £27 million
	20 Victoria Street, 2001–02, total project cost £1.2 million.

Fair Trade

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: I can confirm that it is DFID's policy that all tea, coffee and orange juice served within the Department is sourced from fair trade producers. Our external catering company also promotes and make use of fair trade products wherever possible in our staff restaurant.

Horn of Africa

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the current drought in the Horn of Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The drought conditions in the Horn of Africa have caused serious stress to the most vulnerable communities in the region, in some cases resulting in humanitarian crisis. DFID is committed to ensuring the most urgent humanitarian needs are met. At the same time, and where possible, DIFD is working with governments to reduce vulnerability to these shocks.
	Successive years of drier than normal rainfall conditions especially in the Horn of Africa, during the last five years, have led to reduced pasture and water availability in many key areas—northern Somalia, eastern and southern Ethiopia, eastern Kenya, parts of Eritrea, northern Sudan and a part of western Chad.
	DFID has doubled humanitarian expenditure in Somalia and Sudan over last year. In Ethiopia DFID is responding to humanitarian needs with direct support and is also working with the Government of Ethiopia to reduce vulnerability to these kinds of shocks in a more sustainable way—while increasing the overall level of resources substantially. DFID has also recently agreed £5 million for humanitarian relief in affected parts of Kenya.
	DFID continues to monitor the situation in Somalia and Eritrea and is considering the best means of assistance to address the most urgent humanitarian needs resulting from the drought there.

Overseas Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) expenditure was allocated prior to 6 November 2003 and (b) adjusted expenditure was allocated after 6 November 2003 to middle-income countries for (i) 2003–04, (ii) 2004–05 and (iii) 2005–06; and how much was allocated to (A) South Africa, (B) China, (C) Sri Lanka, (D) Russia, (E) Jamaica, (F) Guyana, (G) Brazil, (H) Bolivia, (I) Serbia and Montenegro, (J) Bosnia, (K) Albania, (L) Kosovo, (M) Belize and (N) Windward Islands in each year.

Hilary Benn: On 6 November 2003, I announced changes to DFID's planned bilateral aid programme allocations to middle-income countries for 2004–05 and 2005–06. The changes resulted from decisions taken on the Government's pledge on reconstruction and humanitarian aid in Iraq, together with DFID's commitment to increase the proportion of its bilateral aid going to the poorest countries to 90 per cent. by 2005–06.
	Planned bilateral commitments to middle-income countries prior to 6 November 2003 totalled £234 million in 2003–04, £249 million in 2004–05 and £220 million in 2005–06. After 6 November the comparative figures were £443 million, £304 million and £228 million respectively, of which Iraq accounted for £207 million in 2003–04, £91 million in 2004–05 and £86 million in 2005–06.
	The following table sets out the changes to allocations in the countries requested:
	
		£ million
		
			  Allocations 2003–04 Allocations 2004–05 Allocations 2005–06 
			 Country Pre 6 November 2003 Post 6 November 2003 Pre 6 November 2003 Post 6 November 2003 Pre 6 November 2003 Post 6 November 2003 
		
		
			 (A) South Africa(1) 35 35 35 35 35 25 
			 (B) China 38 38 60 45 55 35 
			 (C) Sri Lanka 15 15 20 14 8 4.0 
			 (D) Russia 19.7 19.7 17.7 13.0 12.4 5.0 
			 (E) Jamaica 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 2.5 
			 (F) Guyana 5.73 5.73 5.23 5.23 4.73 4.5 
			 (G) Brazil 5.7 5.7 5.0 4.5 4.7 1.5 
			 (H) Bolivia 8.3 8.3 6.0 4.9 5.5 1.5 
			 Latin America Regional(2) 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 4.25 
			 (I) Serbia and Montenegro 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.7 2.7 
			 (J) Bosnia 6.0 6.0 6.0 5.9 6.0 4.5 
			 (K) Albania 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 3.0 2.3 
			 (L) Kosovo 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.7 2.7 
			 (M)/(N) Caribbean Regional(3) 6.32 6.32 6.12 6.12 6.32 3.5 
		
	
	(1) This figure represents SACU MIC countries (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland).
	(2) The reduced allocations for Brazil and Bolivia in 2005–06 are part of a move to a more regional approach, focused on support for the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank's Latin America operations. This is shown in the increased Latin America regional budget for 2005–06.
	(3) Includes Belize/Windward Islands.
	The figures for 2005–06 are indicative planning figures and will be reviewed as part of DFID's annual resource allocation exercise that will conclude in the new year.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many internally displaced people are (a) known and (b) estimated to be hosted by camps near Nyala in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The most recent UN Humanitarian Profile (October 2004) indicated that approximately 529,000 internally displaced people are in the South of Darfur, of which Nyala is the capital. A large proportion of these are in camps and settlements. The UN reports that 170,963 are internally displaced people known to be hosted in camps in the Nyala area. It is likely that there are further numbers of displaced persons in host communities and recent arrivals due to insecurity moving into the area.
	On 2 November, the Government of Sudan forcefully relocated of 6–8,000 internally displaced people from the El Geer camp (previously known as the El Seraif camp) in the Nyala area. This occurred without prior consultation with the UN. It was therefore in breach of the established and agreed mechanism to determine voluntary return and movement of people. The UK strongly condemns any forced relocations, and through our Ambassador to Sudan, has made representations to the Government of Sudan to adhere to its obligations and commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding on Darfur, between the Government of Sudan and the International Organisation for Migration, which prohibits involuntary movement of internally displaced persons. This has been echoed by the EU and UN. DFID continues to monitor the situation closely.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the number of internally displaced people in (a) Sudan and (b) Darfur; how many there are estimated to have been in each month since September 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: According to the latest UN Humanitarian Profile in October, there are 1.6 million people displaced in Darfur. It is estimated that a further 4 million have been displaced in Sudan as a whole. In addition there are a further 200,000 displaced from Darfur into Eastern Chad as refugees.
	It is very difficult to provide accurate monthly figures of internally displaced people in Sudan as a whole of Darfur due to the issue of access constraints, notably due to problems of security affecting agency movements.
	Due to very limited access in Darfur up until April 2004, the UN did not estimate figures on a monthly basis beyond its September 2003 report of 250,000 displaced people. From April 2004 until August, the UN estimated that there were just over 1 million displaced people. From September this figure reached 1.5 million. The reasons for this increase is due to the on-going violence and improving access to Darfur. For Sudan as a whole, the UN has not made monthly estimates. It has been estimated that in September 2003 there were 3.7 million displaced.
	The UK continues to monitor the situation.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the number of internally displaced people displaced by the conflict in (a) southern Sudan and (b) Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: It is difficult to determine accurately the numbers of people displaced in Darfur and southern Sudan primarily due to the problem of access. The latest United Nations Humanitarian Profile estimates that approximately 1.6 million people are internally displaced within Darfur as a result of the crisis there. It is estimated that up to 4 million people have been displaced in Sudan as a whole. In addition to this figure, it is estimated that there are 600,000 Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries, of which 200,000 from Darfur have been displaced into Eastern Chad.
	The UK continues to press both the Government of Sudan and the rebels to allow greater access as well as pressing all parties to sign and deliver on the Abuja humanitarian protocol. The UK strongly condemns any forced relocations of conflict affected persons.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Overseas Voters Electoral Register

Nigel Evans: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what action the Electoral Commission is taking to ensure that all British citizens who are living abroad are able to vote in any forthcoming general election.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission provides information and advice to British citizens living abroad and has produced a registration form for use by eligible British citizens. The Commission has also provided information to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office both for dissemination to its staff and for use when dealing with inquiries from British citizens resident abroad about their electoral rights in the United Kingdom.

Overseas Voters Electoral Register

Nigel Evans: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the number of people (a) living in the US for 15 years or less and (b) living abroad who will be eligible to vote in a UK general election.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission has made no estimate of either the number of people living abroad, or of the number who have lived in the United States for 15 years or less, who will be able to vote in a United Kingdom parliamentary election.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Properties

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, stating (A) for each and (B) in aggregate, the area; and what the aggregate rental value was in each year.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established in May 2002, and thus figures do not exist for 1997. The list of properties occupied on 1 April 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			   Property Net internal area m(5) Annual rent paid (£000) 
		
		
			 26 Whitehall London(4) 5,045 n/a 
			 Eland House London 22,650 12,350 
			 Ashdown House London 6,727 2,633 
			 Portland House London 2,163 2,880 
			 Temple Quay Bristol 278 54 
			 Ashdown House Hastings 722 75 
			 Hempstead House Hemel Hempstead 1,198 153 
			 Exchange Tower London 710 145 
			 1 High street Glossop 107 10 
			 Building 3 Garston 297 37 
			 Fire Experimental Unit Moreton-in-Marsh(4) 1,354 n/a 
			 Hangar 97 Little Rissington(4) 4,401 n/a 
			 Marchington Primary site Staffordshire 39,018 1,029 
			 Marchington Secondary site Staffordshire 4,645 143 
			 Total 89,315 19,509 
			
			 Government Offices   
			 Riverwalk House London GOL 6,206 1,940 
			 Citygate Newcastle GONE 6,095 1,181 
			 Sunley Tower Manchester GONW 13,476 1,202 
			 Cunard Building Liverpool GONW 3,507 277 
			 Eastbrook Cambridge GOE 5,195 707 
			 2 Rivergate Bristol GOSW 3,537 171 
			 Mast House Plymouth GOSW 1,656 722 
			 77 Paradise Circus Birmingham GOWM 3,285 560 
			 Chamberlain House Birmingham GOWM 1,591 280 
			 The Belgrave Centre Nottingham GOEM 4,096 519 
			 City House Leeds GOYH 4,480 545 
			 25 Queen street Leeds GOYH 1,137 329 
			 Silkstone House Rotherham GOYH 712 84 
			 Bridge House Guildford GOSE 3,731 1,025 
			 Total 58,704 9,542 
			
			 Fire Service College Moreton-in-Marsh(4) 30,779 n/a 
			 QEIICC London 7,570 n/a 
			 Planning Inspectorate Temple Quay Bristol 6,841 1,326 
			 Total 45,190 1,326 
		
	
	(4) Denotes freehold property. Figures for the rental value of these can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Except where indicated the above properties are occupied either wholly or partly on a leasehold basis. Where the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister shares the leasehold occupation with other Government Departments the figures represent only the space occupied by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the buildings occupied by Government Offices, they carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Green Spaces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's strategy is for improving inner-city green spaces.

Phil Hope: The Government have already established a programme to improve urban parks and green spaces. This is set out in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's reports "Living Places—Cleaner, Safer, Greener" (ODPM 2002), and "Sustainable communities: building for the future" (ODPM 2003). The initiatives they contain are currently being implemented through the cross-government "Cleaner, Safer, Greener Communities" programme.
	The 8 per cent. increase to 71 per cent. satisfaction with parks and open spaces over the last three years shows that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's programme is working.

HMO National Licensing Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what cross-departmental co-operation his Department is encouraging with (a) police, (b) the fire service, (c) local government, (d) the Benefits Agency and (e) the Inland Revenue in implementing the National Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has close working relations with other Government Departments and relevant bodies that have an interest in the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing scheme. In particular we have worked very closely with the Local Government Association, the Home Office and the Department of Works and Pensions in the development of the licensing scheme and we shall continue to do so as we work towards in its implementation. Local authorities will be responsible for the implementation of the national scheme in their areas and we expect that other relevant bodies, such as the police and fire service, will work with them in achieving this, in so far as they are able to do so.

Affordable Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2004, Official Report, columns 450–51W, on affordable housing, what the affordability criteria for the new shared ownership properties are in each London borough;
	(2)  whether his Department monitors the number of shared ownership properties built in each London borough that are more expensive than the stated affordability criteria for that area.

Keith Hill: London boroughs' Unitary Development Plans contain policies on the provision of affordable housing generally, in accordance with national planning policy. These policies should define what the authority considers to be affordable in the local plan area in terms of the relationship between local income levels and house prices or rents for different types of households. Affordable housing policies in local plans should not be expressed in favour of any particular form of tenure.
	Registered social landlords operating shared ownership schemes are expected to have regard to the affordability of schemes to first time buyers. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not monitor the affordability criteria for shared ownership properties by local authority area. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister keeps the general operation of the scheme funded by the Housing Corporation under review to ensure that it continues to meet our policy objectives and the needs of the intended client group.
	My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 26 September that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is developing an initiative to help more first time buyers onto the first rung of the housing ladder. The aim is to achieve better value for money and more housing options by making smarter use of public sector-owned land and by driving down construction costs. Details are still being worked up and more information will be set out in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's strategic plan.

Affordable Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the Housing Corporation to begin publication of the new Shared Ownership Performance Indicators; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation has published the new Shared Ownership Performance Indicators on the 8 November 2004, on its Performance Indicator Profiles website www.housingpis.co.uk.

Ministers' Private Offices

Mark Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the running costs of Ministers' private offices in his Department have been in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002.
	The total running costs (Admin Pay Cost and Admin Nonpay Costs) of the Ministers' private offices for the financial year 2003–04 was £1,556,886.0.
	The final outturn figures for Departmental running costs are published in Departmental appropriation and resource accounts.

Rough Sleepers

David Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidelines on the definition of rough sleepers used for surveys of their numbers.

Keith Hill: The guidance on the definition of rough sleepers for the purpose of count exercises was first published in 1996 and developed in partnership with charities and voluntary organisations helping people sleeping rough.
	The definition of people who should be included in rough sleeper counts is clearly set out on page 5 in the guidance. It is:
	"People sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters); people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or "bashes")."
	A copy of the guidance will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The guidance is also available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_homelessness/documents/page/odpm_home_ 024817.hcsp

WALES

Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 2002 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: None.

Consultants

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent in each year since 2002 on employing (a) external management consultants and (b) external human resources consultants; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 183W.
	The Wales Office has not incurred any cost relating to external management consultants and external human resources consultants since 1 April 2004.

Departmental Advertising Costs

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost of (a) creative work, (b) media spend and (c) administration for his Department's advertising activity has been in each financial year since 1997–98, broken down by contractor.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office runs no publicity campaigns and hence has spent nothing on advertising since its creation in July 1999.

TRANSPORT

A27

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) maximum and (b) average speeds of vehicles along the A27 Lewes bypass were in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency does not routinely measure vehicle speeds along the A27 Lewes bypass. Exceptionally, readings were taken at the approaches to the Ashcombe roundabout in February 2002, for use in the design of a proposed speed reduction scheme, as shown in the table:
	
		Miles per hour
		
			   Location Maximum speed Average speed 
		
		
			 February 2002 Westbound approach to Ashcombe roundabout Not available 61.1 
			 February 2002 Eastbound approach to Ashcombe roundabout Not available 56.9

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what data local authorities are required to collect on carbon dioxide emissions; and whether this includes emissions from road traffic;
	(2)  what the level of carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic was in each local authority area in the last year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: There is no legal requirement on local authorities to collect data on carbon dioxide emissions in their areas, and there are therefore no centrally held data on carbon dioxide emissions from road transport in each local authority area.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the processes involved in the collection of data on carbon dioxide emissions from road traffic.

David Jamieson: The figures for total carbon dioxide emissions from UK road transport are compiled by the National Environmental Technology Centre (NETCEN) and published in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI). They are based on DTI annual statistics on fuel sales and the carbon content of the fuels. The NAEI allocates this to different vehicle categories on the basis of fuel consumption rates and total kilometres travelled for each vehicle type.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, (b) the Advisory Committee on the definition and use of compatible technical and operating standards and specifications for the procurement of air traffic management equipment and systems and (c) the Committee on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: A meeting of the market access advisory committee took place during 2003, to consider restrictions on the approaches to Zurich airport. The exact date of the Committee meeting is not recorded. The outcome of the meeting is referred to in Commission Decision 2004/12/EC. The UK Government were not represented. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	There were no meetings of the other two Committees during the Greek Presidency.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on (a) application of the legislation on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports, (b) unfair pricing practices in maritime transport and (c) application of the legislation on the minimum level of training for seafarers and the recognition of certificates issued by training institute or administrations of third countries met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: There were no meetings of the Committee on the application of the legislation on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports during the Greek presidency.
	UK involvement in the Committee on unfair pricing is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
	During the Greek Presidency, there were three meetings of the Committee on seafarer training, on 6 February, 12 February and 4 March 2003. All took place in Brussels. The meeting discussed the text of proposed amendments to Directive 2001/25. Department for Transport and Maritime and Coastguard Agency officials attended. The identities of the individuals concerned are withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on (a) application of legislation on application of tonnage measurement of ballast spaces in segregated ballast of oil tankers, (b) minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous or polluting goods and (c) the transfer of ships from one register to another within the Community met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: No meetings of these Committees took place during the Greek presidency.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system, (b) the Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods and (c) the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: During the Greek Presidency there were two meetings of the Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system, on 4 February 2003 and 23–24 June 2003. Both took place in Brussels. The UK was represented at these meetings by the Strategic Rail Authority. The Committee is primarily responsible for assisting and overseeing the production, adoption and revision of Technical Standards of Interoperability (TSIs). The purpose of these specifications is to technically harmonise the European railway supply market. The Committee oversees the development of these TSIs for both the High Speed (96/48/EC) and the Conventional Interoperability (2001/16/EC) Directives. During the specified period, the Committee discussed principles for the drafting groups to adhere to in writing the TSIs and monitored the progress being made on the production of these TSIs. It also considered the cost-benefit analyses that accompany the TSIs and the co-ordination of notified bodies (organisations appointed in Europe to verify compliance with TSIs.). The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	The Committee on the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of legislation concerning the transport of dangerous goods met once during the Greek Presidency, on 4 June 2003 in Brussels. It discussed derogations and modifications of the annexes to three Directives on the transport of dangerous goods. It also discussed the date of implementation of the transportable pressure equipment Directive and the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	The Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of recording equipment in road transport (tachographs) met once during the Greek Presidency, on 26 June 2003 in Brussels. It considered and approved amendments to the technical specification to Commission Regulation (EC) 1360/2002, adapting to technical progress Council Regulation (EEC) 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport (tachographs). These amendments were subsequently published as a corrigendum to that regulation.
	Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the (a) Advisory Committee on transport, (b) Community-Switzerland Transport Committee (rail and road) and (c) Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the committees produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Information in respect of the Advisory Committee on Transport is not centrally available.
	The Management Committee for the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation on the carriage of Goods by Road and Rail met on 19 February 2003, in Brussels.
	The Committee on the system of charging for the use of transport infrastructure did not meet during the Greek Presidency.
	The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the (a) Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European telecommunications networks, (b) Advisory Committee on the management of the research programme for management and storage of radioactive waste and management of the Community plan of action in the field of radioactive waste and (c) Advisory Committee on measures to be taken in the event of a crisis in the market in the carriage of goods by road and for laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road haulage services within a member state met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the committees produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: UK involvement in the Committees at (a) and (b) is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
	There were no meetings of the Advisory Committee on crisis management in the haulage industry during the Greek Presidency.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee on implementation of Protocol 9 to the Act of Austria concerning transport by road and rail and combined transport (Ecopoints), (b) the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles and (c) the Committee for a transparent system of harmonised rules for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on designated roads met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Ecopoints Management Committee met twice during the Greek Presidency, on 7 May and 10 June 2003, in Brussels. The identity of the UK Government official who attended is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	There were no meetings of the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of roadworthiness tests of vehicles during the Greek Presidency.
	As the Community has yet to adopt legislation on harmonised driving restrictions no such Committee exists.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on the driving licence met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (a) technical and (b) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The European Commission's Committee on the driving licence met three times during the Greek presidency of the EU, on 7 February 2003, 28 March 2003 and 29 April 2003, in Brussels. Officials from the Department for Transport, the Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency attended as necessary to cover the matters raised. Their identities are withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Items discussed at these meetings included medical standards, driving licence codes (which codify the entitlements which an individual's licence confers) and vehicle adaptation for disabled people, driving test requirements and Commission research projects. The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways met, (b) the Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings and (c) the Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways met once in this period, on 31 January 2003, in Brussels. The UK was represented by officials from the Department for Transport and the Office of the Rail Regulator. The identity of the individuals concerned is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The main agenda items were a tour de table on the status of the implementation of the Infrastructure Package Directives (Directives 2001/12/EC, 2001/13/EC, 2001/14/EC), reports on managing the transition process until full implementation of the infrastructure package Directives, and an outline from the European Commission on its intentions for future legislation in the railways sector. The Commission subsequently adopted new proposals in March 2004 as the Third Rail Package.
	Also during the Greek Presidency, the European Commission published a draft proposal for a recommendation on the use of a common European format for licences issued in accordance with Council Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings. This recommendation was based on advice from the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the development of the Community railways. The Commission adopted the recommendation on 7 April 2004 and published in the Official Journal on 20 April 2004 (L313).
	Neither the Advisory Committee for the application of uniform principles on costing for railway undertakings nor the Advisory Committee for the harmonisation and comparability of the accounting and annual accounts of railway undertakings met in this period.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Advisory Committee for the application of legislation on the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road passenger transport services within a member state, (b) the Committee on the reciprocal recognition of national boatmasters' certificates for the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterway and (c) the Advisory Committee on aids to transport by rail, road and inland waterway met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: None of these Committees met during the Greek Presidency. Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU (a) the Committee on the development of trans-European transport networks, (b) the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European energy networks and (c) the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Committee on the development of trans-European transport networks met twice during the Greek Presidency, on 4 March and 3 June 2003, in Brussels. The agenda comprised items regarding progress towards completion of the TEN-T and its further development.
	UK involvement in the Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European energy networks is not the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
	The Committee for granting Community financial aid in the field of trans-European transport networks met once during the Greek Presidency, on 30 June 2003, in Brussels. The agenda comprised issues regarding the financing of the network and the projects of common interest on it.
	Where a UK Government official attended the name is withheld under exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The other information requested would require an unreasonable diversion of resources to obtain.
	Details of developments during the Greek Presidency can be found in Cm6097 "Developments in the European Union, January to June 2003, the Greek Presidency" which was laid before Parliament in January 2004 and is available at www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

Fair Trade

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from Fair Trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

Charlotte Atkins: At the Department's headquarters building, Great Minster House, the hospitality arrangements include the provision of Fair Trade bulk brew filter coffee and Down to Earth Fair Trade enveloped tea. The restaurant also serves the above as well as Fair Trade sweets and chocolate.

Heathrow Airport

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used to made decisions on changing airport flight paths into London Heathrow airport.

Charlotte Atkins: Routes within UK airspace are subject to regulation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and changes are agreed by the CAA against criteria set out in its Civil Air Publications 724 and 725, available on the CAA website. These include consideration of the operational, environmental, economical and safety impacts of any changes. Under section 66 of the Transport Act 2000, the Secretary of State for Transport has issued Directions to the CAA requiring it to take account of environmental and other considerations and to seek his approval in certain circumstances.
	There are no set routes for arriving aircraft between the point where they leave a holding "stack" and the point where they join the Instrument Landing System for final approach. Aircraft are individually directed by Air Traffic Control who ensure safe traffic separation, but they are also required whenever practicable to follow "continuous descent approach" with a view to minimising noise impacts.
	Aircraft departing Heathrow are required to follow specific paths called noise preferential routes which are designed as far as possible to minimise over-flight of built-up areas.

Motorcycle Casualties

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is of his statement that there is an increase in motorcycle casualty rate per mile at 33BHP.

David Jamieson: We have made no such statement. However, we are aware of reports attributed to the Government that we would like motorcyclists to have experience on a 125cc motorcycle for two years before gaining access to a larger motorcycle. We certainly believe that some motorcyclists who gain their licence via Direct Access arrangements, allowing them to ride large motorcycles without earlier experience on a smaller machine, are at risk, simply through inexperience of riding a powerful motorcycle.
	The Advisory Group on Motorcycling (AGM), amongst other things, concluded that since the majority of novice riders choose to pass their test via the Direct Access route, as a relatively fast route to big bike riding, it is timely for the Government to consider its effectiveness (a copy of the report is lodged with the House). We will do so, in the context of wider ranging AGM suggestions and recommendations for the future of motorcycling. Should that review lead to proposals for change, we would consult before implementing them.

Road Schemes (Birmingham)

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the Birmingham Northfield Relief Road project in relation to (a) transport movements in the area and (b) regeneration of South West Birmingham.

Charlotte Atkins: The Northfield Relief Road was given provisional approval for funding under the Local Transport Programme in December 2000 in the light of an appraisal carried out by Birmingham city council which included consideration of the contribution the scheme would make to improved transport movements and regeneration of the area it serves. The appraisal included benefits such as improved journey times, improved access for pedestrians and buses and improving the vitality and viability of the Northfield shopping area. Following completion of statutory procedures an updated appraisal was received in July 2004 in support of a request from Birmingham city council for full approval of this scheme which is currently being considered.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken to protect the security of railway tunnels and bridges since 2001.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport, British Transport Police and other central Government agencies support the rail industry in security matters affecting operations and infrastructure. It would be inappropriate to provide details of the specific measures taken for obvious reasons

Uninsured Drivers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken in conjunction with the Metropolitan police to reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the roads of Greater London.

David Jamieson: The steps already taken to deal with the problem of uninsured driving include a review of motor insurance arrangements in the UK by Professor David Greenaway and, following publication of his report on 11 August, the setting up of an implementation board to see that action follows.
	Working jointly with the insurance industry we now plan to introduce legislation, improve procedures and design education, publicity and enforcement programmes to drive down uninsured driving. These measures will be available to all police forces in Great Britain.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Aircraft Emissions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the projected improvement is in emissions from aircraft engines over the next 25 years on which Government predictions of emissions are based.

Charlotte Atkins: I have been asked to reply.
	In February 2004, the Government published technical reports in support of the Air Transport White Paper that include projections of improvement in aircraft engine emissions. The report "Aviation and Global Warming" includes assessments of fleet renewal, fuel efficiency improvement and emissions improvement. The report Air Quality Assessments Supporting the Government's White Paper "The Future of Air Transport" focuses more on prospects for engine improvements in emissions of oxide of nitrogen (NOx ). Technology projections relate to different timescales up to 2030 and span a range of emissions performance given uncertainty over proving technologies and bringing them to market. These technical reports are available at www.aviation.dft.gov.uk

Animal By-products Regulations

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether carcases of horses and donkeys may be buried on the owner's land under the Animal By-products Regulations.

Ben Bradshaw: The regulation allows member states to apply for various derogations regarding the disposal of animal by-products, and, among others, we have applied the derogation to permit the burial of dead pet animals. However, this does not automatically mean that all horses and donkeys may be buried.
	The definition of a pet animal given within the regulation is: any animal belonging to species normally nourished and kept, but not consumed, by humans for purposes other than farming.
	The situation with regard to equines is complicated. Although it can be argued that humans within the UK do not consume members of the equine family, the UK does export horses/ponies which may be used for human consumption. Under a strict interpretation the EU regulation would, therefore, ban the burial of pet equines but we would expect local authorities, who enforce the legislation, to take a sensible approach to the burial of horses that are clearly pets.

Bees

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding the Government have given to the National Bee Unit for the current financial year; how many bee inspectors there are; what estimate has been made of the number of bees under serious threat from the varroa mite; and what advice and assistance is given by the National Bee Unit to beekeepers in the South West.

Alun Michael: In the current financial year the National Bee Unit will receive funding of £1,235,000 from Defra and £283,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government.
	There are 45 bee inspectors in England and Wales of whom 36 are part-time, seasonal bee inspectors.
	It is estimated that there are 250,000 honey bee colonies in England and Wales, maintained by some 37,000 beekeepers. Since varroa is now endemic throughout almost the whole of the United Kingdom, its presence is a challenge to all beekeepers but this can be managed through good bee husbandry.
	In addition to the statutory inspection programme, which has given rise to over 900 visits and the inspection of almost 4,000 colonies in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset between April and September 2004, the NBU provides laboratory diagnoses, the destruction or treatment of colonies infected with European Foul Brood, and a testing programme for varroa resistance to treatment with pyrethroids. Over 2,500 beekeepers attended advisory lectures, field demonstrations and liaison meetings provided by NBU in the South West in 2003–04. Beekeepers in the region also have access to a national telephone help-line, advisory leaflets and the NBU website.

Burnside Farm

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department was first informed of the existence of a video of Burnside Farm taken by Northumberland Trading Standards officers on 23 February 2001; and when her Department first obtained a copy of the video.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 28 October 2004
	A Defra official was present at Burnside Farm on 24 February 2001 when the video of the conditions on the farm was being made by Northumberland Trading Standards Department. Defra officials saw some of the video when it was shown at Robert Waugh's trial in May 2002. Defra recently obtained copies of the video when it was referred to in correspondence received by Defra officials on 30 September 2004.

Burnside Farm

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a representative of her Department was present at the trial of Mr. Bobby Waugh for breach of his waste food feeding licence in May 2002.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 28 October 2004
	The trial was attended by four officials from Defra, three of whom gave evidence.

Civil Servants

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average length of continuous service for civil servants within the Department is.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 3 November 2004, Official Report, column 268W.

Conservation Areas

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) scientific and (b) socio-economic objections to the designation of (i) Bolton Fell Moss and (ii) Solway Moss as special areas of conservation are; and when she expects to conclude each consultation.

Ben Bradshaw: Generic scientific issues raised by the objectors to the proposed SAC designations on Bolton Fell and Solway Moss are:
	that sites which are mainly areas of bare peat is contrary to EU and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) guidance;
	sites with bare peat do not contain National Vegetation Classification (NVC) plant communities typical of raised bogs;
	the designation of these two peatland sites in conjunction with others already classified as cSACs is not necessary to achieve favourable conservation status for raised bogs;
	the National Peatland Resource Inventory has been wrongly interpreted which has led to far more degraded raised bogs being selected as pSACs than is necessary to satisfy the guidance received from the European Commission;
	the site selection process was partial and ad hoc and the criteria was written after sites were selected instead of developing the selection criteria and then selecting sites;
	English Nature did not consider selecting sites which were wooded, afforested or contained peat underlying agricultural sites;
	English Nature placed undue emphasis on the restorability and/or size of the site when selecting sites and this overrode other considerations;
	that contextual information required to list appropriate areas of active and degraded raised bogs is not available, and finally, that English Nature did not follow JNCC guidance on the number of sites to be selected from the first moderation process.
	Objections on socio-economic grounds to both designations are:
	local employment issues concerning the closure of peat-extraction operations at either site;
	loss of revenue to landowner from peat-extraction operator; after-use restriction on ability of landowner at Bolton Fell Moss to generate income following end of peat extraction.
	Once the scientific objections have been resolved, and it is confirmed that the sites meet the selection criteria for SAC protection, they will be designated forthwith. It is not currently clear how long this will take.

Contagious Equine Metritis

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the last outbreak of contagious equine metritis in British horses was recorded; and where.

Ben Bradshaw: The last outbreak of contagious equine metritis in Great Britain occurred in late 2002 in Staffordshire, with the last individual case linked to this outbreak occurring in early 2003, again in Staffordshire.

Cormorants

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 October, Official Report, columns 695–96W, on cormorants, what action is being taken through the European Union to tackle cormorant numbers at a European level.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 1 November 2004
	At the European level the REDCAFE group (Reducing the conflict between cormorants and fisheries on a Pan-European scale) was set up in 2001, to synthesise current cormorant and fisheries information and identify and evaluate methods of reducing Europe-wide conflict between conservationists and fishery interests. Initial conclusions emphasise site-specific management as the key. Further work has been agreed, on an inter-disciplinary approach taking account of social and economic interests. Discussions at ORNIS (the EC Committee covering the Birds Directive), also covered the Development of a Framework for Biodiversity Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The data from REDCAFE will be input into this process, along with other European initiatives such as the IMEW (Integrated Management of European Wetlands). The RAP aims to fully quantify the problems, develop a solution and provide synthesis and dissemination of the results. This process will provide a participatory decision strategy. The approach is being supported with EU research funding, and member states are also encouraged to participate.

Departmental IT

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the Department's (a) implemented and (b) planned computer systems use open source software; and what plans are in place to raise this level.

Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
	(a) The percentage of implemented computer systems in Defra that use open source operating systems such as Linux is small, less than 5 per cent., but many Defra systems comply with the Government eGIF standards that allow easy and open exchange of data.
	(b) Defra has recently outsourced its IT operations. There are no targets imposed on the supplier to implement open source software, a level playing field will apply in procurement of software solutions. The IT supplier is bound to work within eGIF standards and many of the planed IT systems will include a significant proportion of open source code. In addition the supplier will be conducting a number of additional pieces of work to test the business benefits to Defra of extending the use of open source.

Directive 2002/49/EC

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for transposing Directive 2002/49/EC into UK law.

Alun Michael: Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise requires that member states of the European Union must comply with Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise by 18 July 2004 (Article 14). Unfortunately, due to the practical complexities of the Directive the UK has been unable to meet this deadline.
	We are continuing to work to comply with the Directive as soon as possible and we will be putting our proposed approach to complying with the Directive to public consultation in due course. We will use the responses to the consultation to inform our final approach to complying with the Directive.

Equine Exports

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many equines were exported from the UK in each of the past 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 27 October 2004
	Available information on the number of equines certified for export from the UK is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996 1,169 
			 1997 8,119 
			 1998 11,086 
			 1999 9,579 
			 2000 9,176 
			 2001 14,284 
			 2002 10,785 
			 2003 9,130 
		
	
	The figures are derived from computer based systems introduced in late 1996 relating to export health certification from the UK. The figures are subject to updating and amendment.
	Except for part of 2001 and 2002, the figures exclude the movement of certain horses to France and Ireland which, under a Tripartite Agreement, do not require export health certification.

Fallen Stock

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has held with organic certification bodies on the effect that non-burial of fallen stock might have on the soil's microbiology.

Ben Bradshaw: Although no specific consultation has taken place with organic certification bodies the Department undertook an extensive public consultation process in respect of the Animal By-products Regulation, which bans on-farm burial of fallen stock. Several of the certification bodies, notably the Soil Association, have made the Department aware of their concerns that the effect that non-burial of fallen stock might have on the soil's microbiology. These concerns have been duly noted.

Fallen Stock

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have signed up to the National Fallen Stock Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: None. We will not know how many farmers will register until the scheme begins on 22 November.

Government Grants

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which funding streams have been allocated by her Department using a funding formula which includes rankings or scores on the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000; and if she will list the amount of funding allocated in such a way (a) nationally by the Department or (b) to all Government sponsored bodies reporting to the Department.

Alun Michael: Defra has four funding streams which have been allocated taking account of the Index of Multiple Deprivation. In all cases the Index has contributed to identifying the least well performing rural areas in terms of economic productivity but, other factors, including quality of application and nature of enterprise, are taken into account in awarding projects. The first two funding streams below are both part of the Department's Rural Voluntary and Community Sector and Social Inclusion Programme.
	(a) Nationally:
	(1) A contribution to The Pensions Partnership Fund which seeks to increase benefits uptake by the elderly. £834,000 has been allocated in 2004–05 to fund projects in the priority wards in rural areas.
	(2) An action research contract examining social enterprise in rural areas. Some £500,000 has been allocated in 2004–05 to fund projects in four English Regions, with priority being given to those which operate in priority wards.
	(3) For the Warm Front programme, the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 has not been used as a sole indicator for any allocation purposes. It is considered with a number of other indices—including the fuel poverty indices under the English House Condition Survey. In 2004–05 the Fuel Poverty budget is £169 million.
	(4) Defra uses the Index as one of a number of measures which contribute to the priority scores of proposed flood and coastal erosion risk management improvement projects, when considering which projects should receive grant from the ring-fenced national budget. The budget being allocated in 2004–05 is £56 million across local authorities and internal drainage boards.
	(b) Government Sponsored Bodies:
	The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by Defra and its share of the flood and coastal erosion risk management improvement projects funding in 2004–05 is £76 million.

Heathrow

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the methodology for drawing up a noise map for Heathrow.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has not received any representations on the methodology for drawing up a noise map for Heathrow.

Heathrow

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to publish (a) a strategic noise map for Heathrow, (b) an action plan to manage noise issues around Heathrow and (c) a public consultation on plans to manage noise levels at Heathrow.

Alun Michael: Strategic noise maps and action plans for Heathrow and other specified airports will be produced as part of the requirements of Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise (the Environmental Noise Directive). There will be public consultation on the action plans as this is also a key requirement of the Environmental Noise Directive. Details of proposed options to transpose the Directive will be put out to public consultation in due course.
	Noise from aircraft using Heathrow is regulated by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport, under section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The DfT's Stage 1 consultation on night restrictions from 30 October 2005 closed on 29 October and the second stage of this consultation process will be undertaken in due course.
	Daytime noise at Heathrow was considered in last year's consultation on the "Future of Air Transport in the UK—South East" and "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper (Cm 6046) set out (paras 11.52–53) the Government's view that all practicable steps should be taken to prevent any deterioration in the noise climate there.

Heathrow

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will start the work to produce a strategic noise map for Heathrow.

Alun Michael: Details of our proposed options to transpose the Directive will be put out to public consultation in due course. That will include proposals regarding the competent authorities for the production of strategic noise maps for airports under Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise (the Environmental Noise Directive).
	A pilot project to produce noise contours for Heathrow in terms of noise indicator required by the Environmental Noise Directive (Lden) was carried out in 2003 by the Civil Aviation Authority for Defra as part of the development of the National Ambient Noise Strategy. These contours have been published and can be seen at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/mapping/aviation/index.htm
	In addition daytime noise contours for Heathrow are produced annually for the Department for Transport.

Local Food Chains

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she is offering to (a) central and (b) local government on public procurement with regard to assisting local food chains.

Alun Michael: Defra has published advice on its website to help central and local government implement the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI). A key objective is to increase the opportunities for small and local suppliers to compete to supply food to public sector bodies.
	Within the EC policy and legal framework they can inform local suppliers of forthcoming contract opportunities and explain to them how the procurement process works and what is expected of them. There is also scope to specify more in-season food, rather than out of season or exotic produce that can only be supplied from abroad, and to organise the size of contracts and lots within contracts so that small and local suppliers have more chance of being able to meet demands. Public bodies do, of course, have an overarching duty to secure value for money and so must ensure that the measures they adopt to encourage more supplies of local food are proportionate and justified. They are also required by the EC treaty, the EC procurement directives and the UK regulations that implement them to ensure that public procurement is fair, transparent and not used to discriminate by setting up barriers to free trade. We are also encouraging public sector bodies to work with their food service companies to play an active part in achieving this aim by ensuring that local suppliers are given opportunities to be part of their supply chains, provided they are able to provide value for money and meet their requirements on quality, consistency of supply and food safety etc.
	The newly restructured PSFPI website contains more detailed guidance, best practice case studies (including one for South Gloucestershire schools) and links to other sources of useful information. URL: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm.

Online Publications

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Department's target is for the interval between publication of (a) departmental announcements and documents and (b) material published by public bodies for which her Department has oversight and their posting online; and what the average interval was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: Defra statements, announcements and documents are published on the departmental website as soon as possible—generally on the same day or the following day. Operational procedures and resources of staff and equipment are continually reviewed and reassessed with the aim of minimising the number of occasions when it is not possible for statements to be published on the website on the same day as they are made available through other channels.
	Information on posting targets for material published by public bodies for which Defra has oversight is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Rural Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of producing and distributing the Rural Services Review, including staff time allocated to the project.

Alun Michael: The Rural Services Review, published on 1 November 2004, continues the commitment from the Rural White Paper "Our Countryside: the future" to inform rural people how they can ensure fair access to public services for their community.
	The total cost of production and distribution of the Rural Services Review is set out in the table:
	
		Cost of Rural Services Review
		
			   Supplier Final spend (£) (plus VAT) 
		
		
			 Design Stairway Communications 9,814 plus 383 total = 10,197 
			 Print (50,000 run)  17,800 (no VAT charged) 
			 Distribution  (of 30,000 copies)  (5)14,000 
			 Copywriting COI 15,540 
			 Photography Total (5)3,315 
			 Proof reading COI 324 
			 Staff costs  (6)22,864 
			 Total  (5)84,040 
		
	
	(5) These costs are based upon estimates as final invoices have not yet been received.
	(6) Defra staff costs for this project were £22,864. This figure is based upon average pay rates, by grade and location and includes accommodation overheads.
	The total production, distribution and staff costs give a unit cost for the Rural Services Review of £1.68 a copy.
	The Rural Services Review came about as a consequence of the evaluation of the Rural Services Standard, which took place during 2003. The review builds upon the recommendations of the independent evaluation report produced by the University of Gloucester. A copy of this report is available on the Defra website at http://defraweb/rural/pdfs/rss_review.pdf.
	The Rural Services Review identifies key standards that affect people living and working in the countryside and illustrates the difference the standards can make, through the use of case studies. Copies of the review are available through Defra publications (08459 556000) or online at www.defra.gov.uk/rural/services.

Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to comply with the Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order 2003.

Alun Michael: The Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate requires all Departments to source at least 15 per cent. of electricity from Good Quality Combined Heat and Power by 2010 (with allowance made for those Departments that already purchase 100 per cent. renewable energy.) Within Defra the following action has been taken:
	(a) In the year ending 31 March 2004 Defra and its Executive Agencies sourced 15.3 per cent. of electricity used from Good Quality CHP plant on our own estate.
	(b) A further Good Quality CHP plant is to be installed in a major refurbishment project at one of Defra's HQ buildings.

Tsar Appointments

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tsars have been appointed with responsibilities which cover part of the work of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Secretary of State has not appointed any tsars covering the work of any part of the Department.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Solicitor-General what measures (a) the Crown Prosecution Service, (b) the Serious Fraud Office, (c) the Treasury Solicitor's Office and (d) the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers (i) has undertaken and (ii) plans to undertake to comply with the Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order 2003.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers do not currently occupy premises whose heating and electrical supplies are provided by CHP systems. Each Department regularly reviews their heating and electrical power consumption to ensure that the supplies they use are obtained and consumed in the most sustainably efficient and cost effective way.

SCOTLAND

Cullen Report

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons parts of the Cullen report on Dunblane are to be protected for 100 years; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
	The Public Records (Scotland) Act 1937 makes provision for the preservation, care and custody of the public records of Scotland. There is not, however, any statutory basis for closure of records created by Scottish public bodies.
	By contrast, in England and Wales the Public Records Act 1958 (as amended by the Public Records Act 1967) sets a statutory "closure period" of 30 years after which records must, with limited exceptions, be made available to the public. The 1937 Act does not impose similar obligations on Scottish Executive departments, but in practice those procedures are followed in Scotland.
	The criteria for closures longer than 30 years were defined in a White Paper on Open Government published in 1993 (Cm 2290), which stated that it is for the department responsible for depositing the material to decide on the closure period.
	Documents containing information about individuals, whose disclosure would cause either substantial distress, or endangerment from a third party to persons affected by disclosure or their descendants can be subject to a variable closure period of between 40 and 100 years.
	At the conclusion of Lord Cullen's inquiry, the papers were lodged with the then Scottish Record Office. As is normal practice, the closure periods were identified by the SRO, in consultation with the Secretary to the Inquiry and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. In light of the obvious sensitivities in relation to the information about children and alleged offences against them the productions were closed for 100 years. This closure was in accordance with the Government guidelines published in the White Paper "Open Government" Cm 2290 (1993) and Lord Cullen was content with these arrangements.
	However, subsequently the Lord Advocate decided that the material from the Dunblane inquiry should be catalogued by staff at the National Archives of Scotland in a way which did not lead to the identification of children. The cataloguing of the productions has recently been completed. Officials from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are currently reviewing this material and considering what information is suitable for release either in its entirety or in an edited format. However, the sensitive nature of the information contained in some of the material will obviously prevent its release before the end of the 100-year closure period.

Gambling Bill

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has been informed that the Scottish Executive plans to bring forward a sewel motion in respect of the proposals contained in the Gambling Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Following consultation with Scottish Ministers, the Gambling Bill contains provisions conferring functions in reserved areas on the Scottish Ministers. Since the Bill therefore varies the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers the consent of the Scottish Parliament will therefore be sought by the Scottish Executive in accordance with the Sewel Convention.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Accident Group

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investigation has been undertaken into the closure of the Accident Group; and if she will institute an inquiry by her Department into the affairs of that company.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A winding up order was made against AG (Manchester) Ltd. (formerly called The Accident Group Ltd.) on 15 January 2004. As a result, the Official Receiver was appointed first liquidator and has a duty to investigate the causes of the company's failure and generally it's promotion, formation, business, dealings and affairs and the conduct of its directors. These investigations are continuing.

Better Health Global

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department has taken to investigate the activities of the Better Health Global group of companies in (a) Ireland, (b) Belgium, (c) Australia and (d) Canada; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not have authority to investigate the affairs of companies which are registered and trading in a foreign jurisdiction and does not comment on the affairs of live companies that are not the subject of insolvency proceedings.

Better Health Global

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has held with the Crown Prosecution Service about the conduct of the directors of Better Health Global Ltd. and the BHG Group of companies; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: None.

Correspondence

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will review the correspondence from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North regarding the case of Mr. Frederick Jones of Neston Drive, Bulwell, Nottingham, following the judgment in Meadows v. North London Securities.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I would like to thank my hon. Friend for bringing this case to my attention. You will understand that I am unable to intervene in individual cases such as this, which must be resolved by agreement between the parties or by recourse to the courts.
	As my hon. Friend is aware I have written to John Vickers, Chair of the Office of Fair Trading, alerting him to the complaints made to me about this lender by a number of hon. Members.

Credit Contracts

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set an upper limit on interest rates for consumers taking out credit contracts.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The DTI commissioned research into the effect of interest rate ceilings in France, Germany and the USA, which found that: lenders do not provide credit for small loans repayable over a short period, excluding some low-income consumers from the market or leading others to take out larger loans than they need; the choice of products is reduced, limiting competition; some low-income consumers will take out credit on products that have extra charges that are not included in the interest rate calculation, but which low income consumers are particularly likely to incur, such as late payment charges; and the percentage of consumers who admitted to having borrowed from unlicensed or illegal lenders was twice as high in Germany and France as in the UK.

Credit Contracts

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that customers taking out credit agreements have clear, comprehensive and understandable information on (a) interest charges, (b) other charges and (c) penalties.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The White Paper "Clear, Fair and Competitive—The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century" set out the Governments' plans to increase the quality and transparency of information available to consumers about the costs and other terms of credit at all stages in the contractual process.
	To that end, Regulations have already been made governing the advertising of consumer credit; the provision of pre-contractual information; and the form and content of credit agreements.
	The Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2004 which came into force on 31 October this year—require lenders to present a balanced picture of the costs of a product; and establish the typical APR as the prime comparator.
	The Consumer Credit (Agreements) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 will require lenders to disclose full details about interest and other charges in the credit agreement. Penalties are illegal under consumer credit law. Interest charges will need to be listed under the prescribed "Key Financial Information" heading. Other charges will need to be listed under the "Other Financial Information" and "Key Information" headings. The Consumer Credit (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2004 require the lender to provide similar information in advance of the agreement being made. Both of these Regulations come into force on 31 May 2005.
	The Government have also announced their intention to introduce a Bill as soon as parliamentary time permits that will include proposals to require creditors to provide debtors with regular information about the state of their accounts throughout the life of the agreement, including:
	providing an annual statement showing the activity on the account for the previous 12 months for fixed term agreements of more than one year in length;
	providing information about sums in arrears when the debtor gets into arrears for all forms of credit (e.g. loans and credit cards);
	providing information about fees, charges and interest applied to the account where there is a default; and
	providing debtors with information sheets published by the OFT and setting out user-friendly and relevant information about managing debt issues and seeking advice with all arrears and default notices.
	It is proposed that failure by a creditor to provide the required information may mean that the creditor cannot enforce the agreement or recover interest in respect of the period of their failure.

EU Regional Development Aid

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had in respect of the future round of EU Regional Development Aid.

Patricia Hewitt: I and my ministerial colleagues are in regular contact with Ministers from other member states, representatives of the European Commission, and Members of the European Parliament regarding the reform of the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds. At the same time, we meet regularly with stakeholders in the UK and their representatives to explain the Government's position on reform of the funds.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Standing Committee on the Approximation of the Laws relating to Construction Products met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee produced during that period; what actions were (i) proposed and (ii) taken by (A) the EU and (B) the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.
	The Standing Committee on Construction met once during this period on 13–14 May 2003 in Brussels. The UK Government experts present were Tariq Nawaz and Stephen Phillips.
	Recommendations produced by the Committee during this period were in the form of agreements to proposals and consultations of the Committee and are contained either in the minutes of the above meeting or the exchanges of correspondence which have been made available in the Library of the House. The actions proposed and taken by the EU and the UK Government as a result of the Committee's recommendations are contained either in the minutes of the meeting or in the correspondence referred to above.

Loan Debts

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on loan sharks; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Loan sharks are moneylenders who operate illegally and unregulated outside the current Consumer Credit Licensing regime.
	Illegal loan sharks prey on vulnerable consumers and their sometimes brutal methods of obtaining repayment can cause great suffering and hardship in communities.
	To tackle this problem on 6 September 2004 I launched the Loan Shark Pilot, which will be operated by Birmingham and Glasgow Trading Standards Department. Both Departments have established teams of investigators who will investigate complaints received from members of the public about illegal money lenders.
	The Government have committed £2 million over a period of two years to the project. A campaign has commenced in both cities advertising the presence of the illegal money lending teams and they have both been inundated with calls from members of the public. The teams are already investigating more than 40 live cases. The Birmingham team has recently announced that one arrest has been made.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Classroom-building Projects

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much ring-fenced money for classroom building projects has been given to schools in (a) Wansdyke, (b) Bath and North East Somerset and (c) South Gloucestershire in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: Capital funding is largely allocated to local authorities and schools by needs related formulae and supported through the Single Capital Pot. Decisions on how resources should be allocated are taken locally in accordance with their asset management plans. The capital allocations for Bath and North East Somerset and for South Gloucestershire in each year since 1997 are set out in the table. The Department does not hold details of capital allocations by constituency.
	
		£000
		
			  Bath and North East Somerset Bath and North East Somerset of which basic need 1 South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire of which basic need 1 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,765 1,221 5,139 4,414 
			 1998–99 1,825 42 4,116 325 
			 1999–2000 2,099 60 6,656 1,415 
			 2000–01 5,406 203 11,821 3,132 
			 2001–02 6,288 733 13,483 3,775 
			 2002–03 8,727 1,429 12,925 2,569 
			 2003–04 14,446 1,237 17,454 5,147 
			 2004–05 5,794 384 15,592 6,086 
		
	
	(7) Allocated on new pupil places criteria, but not ring-fenced.

Combined Heat and Power

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) schools and (b) universities in England utilise combined heat and power.

David Miliband: Neither DfES nor HEFCE collect these statistics. However we do know that there are a large number of CHP installations in universities. They are popular where there are large energy loads. Some local authority district CHP schemes supply a school as well as local housing and other community buildings. Smaller micro-chp units are also currently being trialled where the school has a large enough heat load throughout the year.

Criminal Record Checks

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures are in place (a) to check the criminal records of civil servants in his Department and agencies responsible to his Department who have access to computer databases containing confidential information on the public and (b) to ensure that there can be no improper use of computer databases containing confidential information on the public; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: My Department undertakes 'Character Enquiry' checks prior to any unconditional offers of employment being made as part of its recruitment procedures. The procedure requires potential recruits to complete a stencil detailing any current or previous criminal convictions. Any declared convictions are followed up by obtaining details directly from the relevant courts. Decisions on whether the information would prevent the Department from offering the individual an appointment are taken as appropriate at this stage.
	Additionally, procedures are in place for serving staff to report any convictions received since their employment with the Department commenced. If the position requires working in direct contact with children or vulnerable adults, Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks are carried out prior to any unconditional offers of employment being made. The information is available to staff and managers via the Department's Intranet. Personal criminal convictions, are potentially disciplinary issues, as is the failure to declare a conviction.
	It is DfES policy to ensure that its IT systems and the information they contain are secure, while letting those in DfES carry out its business. All access to the Internet are monitored internally by the Department's Information Services. Again, IT misuse policy is available through the Department's Intranet system, and staff are required to familiarise themselves with the Department's guidance on IT security.

Departmental IT

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the Department's (a) implemented and (b) planned computer systems use open source software; and what plans are in place to raise this level.

Charles Clarke: Currently less than 1 per cent. of the Department's computer systems use Open Source Software in the Department. Also none of the planned computer systems will make use of Open Source Software.
	Our future use of Open Source Software will follow the Government policy as published in version 2 of the Open Source Software policy on 28 October 2004.
	The draft policy document is available for viewing at http://www.govtalk.gov.uk

Departmental Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each month of 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The number of press notices issued by the Department for Education and Skills in each month of 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			 Month Number of press notices issued 
		
		
			 January 18 
			 February 15 
			 March 25 
			 April 28 
			 May 22 
			 June 9 
			 July 15 
			 August 6 
			 September 13 
			 October 9

Education Funding

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total funding per pupil in cash terms is for each local education authority for 2004–05, using the same format as that for 2003–04 and prior years as set out on his Department's website.

David Miliband: It is not clear to which figures the hon. Member refers. The table shows local education authorities in England in 2003–04 and 2004–05, the total funding per pupil in cash terms.
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Education Funding

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much on average per child was contributed from public funds to the education of (a) primary school children and (b) secondary school children in (i) Wansdyke, (ii) Bath and North East Somerset and (iii) South Gloucestershire in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following tables give the total funding per Primary and Secondary pupil in real terms from 1997–98 to 2004–05, separately for the Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire local education authority areas. Funding information on a constituency basis is not available.
	
		Total funding per Primary and Secondary pupil in real terms 1997 to 2005 for England, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire -- £
		
			  Bath and North East Somerset South Gloucestershire 
		
		
			 Total funding per pupil aged 3–10 
			 1997–98 2,140 2,120 
			 1998–99 2,250 2,230 
			 1999–2000 2,400 2,390 
			 2000–01 2,600 2,570 
			 2001–02 2,730 2,680 
			 2002–03 2,770 2,720 
			 2003–04 2,930 2,880 
			 2004–05 3,020 2,960 
			 Change(8) 870 840 
			 Total funding per pupil aged 11–15 
			 1997–98 2,900 2,930 
			 1998–99 2,960 2,990 
			 1999–2000 3,120 3,100 
			 2000–01 3,350 3,310 
			 2001–02 3,450 3,410 
			 2002–03 3,510 3,480 
			 2003–04 3,630 3,630 
			 2004–05 3,780 3,810 
			 Change(8) 890 870 
		
	
	(8) Change since 1997–98
	Notes:
	1. Price Base: Real terms at 2003–04 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30 June 2004.
	2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of education SSA/EFS settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EPS and LSC.
	3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 3–10 and 11–15 and exclude EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level. For those LEAs in receipt of advance of grant under the transitional support arrangements for 2004–05, advance grant funding is included in the year of payment (2004–05). There will be a consequential reduction in DfES grant for these LEAs in future years (either 2006–07 and 2007–08 or 2006–07 to 2008–09, depending on the terms on which the advance was given to the LEA).
	4. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC 3-year-old maintained pupils and estimated 3–4 year olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers.
	5. Rounding: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	6. Status: 2004–05 figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited.
	7. 1997–98 figures for LEAs subject to Local Government Reorganisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rata to their post LGR figures.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in the Dagenham constituency are receiving education maintenance allowance.

Ivan Lewis: By the end of October 967 young people from the Barking and Dagenham local authority area had received an EMA Notice of Entitlement. Of those, 722 had enrolled for EMA at a school or college and 672 had received an EMA payment. These figures continue to improve as those who apply late have their applications assessed and then become eligible for payment.

Entry to Employment Programme

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people have taken part in the Entry to Employment programme since it was introduced in 2003.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Entry to Employment Programme

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people started on the Entry to Employment programme in 2003–04; and how many places for new starts will be available in 2004–05.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Foreign Language Teaching

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of primary schools offer a foreign language to their pupils.

Stephen Twigg: On 30 September this year my Department published the results of research, undertaken in the 2002–03 academic year, into the extent and nature of foreign language learning activities at Key Stage 2. This research highlighted that 44 per cent. of all schools teaching Key Stage 2 pupils in England were offering language learning programmes in some form, with 35 per cent. using curriculum time to do so. This represents a significant increase since the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and University of Warwick published research in 2000 that stated that 20 per cent. of primary schools were teaching foreign languages.

Foreign Language Teaching

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to promote foreign language teaching in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: Since the publication of the National Languages Strategy in December 2002, we have made much progress with promoting Modern Foreign Languages in both primary and secondary schools.
	Nineteen local education authorities have taken up Key Stage 2 language pathfinder roles to develop ways of delivering primary languages; we are consulting on a draft framework for the teaching and learning of Key Stage 2 languages; we have recently committed £5 million to support primary language learning in 2005–06; and by the end of this year will have trained well over 1,000 new teachers with a modern foreign language specialism.
	A Framework to support the teaching, planning and learning of Modern Foreign Languages at Key Stage 3 was introduced into schools in 2003, and is already being used widely. A new voluntary assessment scheme to recognise and accredit individuals' language skills—The Languages Ladder—is currently being piloted in three languages and will be made available to all schools in eight languages from September 2005. We are also seeking to increase the range of vocational and academic options that are available to young people who wish to learn a language at Key Stage 4.

Foster Carers

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce a national standard for fostering.

Margaret Hodge: All fostering agencies are already under a statutory obligation to comply with the Fostering Services Regulations 2002 and are expected to meet the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2002. The Standards are intended to assess the quality of care provided by fostering service providers in relation to the needs of looked after children. The Commission for Social Care Inspection is responsible for the inspection and regulation of fostering service providers against these standards and encourages improvement in the quality of the care provided through its inspection reports and performance assessment of councils.

Foundation Schools

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he intends to take to increase accountability (a) in decision-making and (b) in the use of public funds for (i) governors of foundation schools and (ii) governors appointed by charitable foundations.

David Miliband: The existing legal framework within which foundation schools operate provides for accountability in decision-making and the use of public funds. All governors of maintained schools of any category, however they are elected or appointed, are subject to the same requirements with regard to their conduct, and all governing bodies are collectively accountable for their decisions. Governors are equally accountable to those who appoint them, to the school's funders, and to parents, pupils and the wider community.

Free Fruit Scheme

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the annual cost of extending the free fruit scheme to Key Stage 2 pupils.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	No estimate has been made about the annual cost of extending the school fruit and vegetable scheme to Key Stage 2 pupils.
	The Department has set aside £77 million over the 2004–05 and 2005–06 financial years to fund the school fruit and vegetable scheme. A full evaluation of the scheme is due in the first half of 2005.
	Once the rollout is complete at the end of November, two million four to six-year-olds in 16,500 local education authority-maintained infant, primary and special schools across England will be receiving a fresh piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.

Free School Meals

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils are eligible for free school meals in each ward, listed in descending order.

Stephen Twigg: It is the Department's policy not to publish figures about individual schools unless the schools concerned have had the opportunity to check or confirm that information with the performance tables. Free school meal figures are not routinely checked with schools. Certain wards only have one individual school for instance. Therefore as my answer contains confidential information, I will communicate privately with my right hon. Friend.

Free School Transport

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in North Somerset receive free transport to school provided by the local authority.

Stephen Twigg: We do not routinely collect that information. However a joint survey of school transport policies, expenditure and pupil numbers transported, conducted in 2003 by DfES and the Confederation of Education Service Managers (ConfEd) reported the following:
	
		Number of pupils receiving free or assisted home to school transport
		
			 Type of school setting Compulsory school age Sixth formers All pupils 
		
		
			 North Somerset 
			 Primary 893 — 893 
			 Secondary 2,088 184 2,272 
			 Special 284 84 368 
			 Others 50 — 50 
			 Total 3,315 268 3,583 
		
	
	Source:
	DfES/ConfEd "Home to School Transport Survey" 2003

Havering School Funding

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been allocated to schools within the London borough of Havering under the school Standards Fund since 1998.

David Miliband: Standards Fund grants are allocated to local education authorities, not directly to schools. The amount allocated to schools is a matter for local decision. The following table gives the Standards Fund recurrent and capital allocations, including local authority contributions, for the London borough of Havering from 1998–99 to 2004–05. From 1999–2000 the Standards Fund included a grant to support the statutory reduction of infant class sizes. In 2003–04 this class size funding was transferred to Education Formula Spending baselines. The amount transferred for Havering was £535,000.
	
		Standards fund allocations for London borough of Havering -- £000
		
			 Financial year Capital Recurrent Total 
		
		
			 1998–99 990 1,529 2,519 
			 1999–2000 1,507 2,691 4,197 
			 2000–01 3,602 5,122 8,724 
			 2001–02 8,149 7,974 16,123 
			 2002–03 6,391 8,733 15,124 
			 2003–04 8,895 7,883 16,779 
			 2004–05 8,326 8,761 17,088

Home Education

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 27 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1265–66W, on home education, what assessment he has made of the reasons underlying the one-year fall in the number of pupils not in school in Somerset local education authority in 2003.

David Miliband: My Department has carried out an investigation into the one-year fall in the pupil numbers not in school in Somerset local education authority in 2003. At the time of the 2003 data collection the figures returned to the Department were checked and confirmed by Somerset LEA as being correct on 8 March 2003.
	However, following the hon. Member's previous question, further investigation has been carried out. The LEA has now informed the Department that a group of pupils was omitted from the 2003 return. They have supplied an amended 2003 total.
	A revised table showing this amendment is given as follows:
	
		Number of pupils not in school and being otherwise educated 1997–2004—Somerset local education authority and England
		
			  Somerset local education authority 
			  Pupils aged 5–10 Pupils aged 11–15 Pupils aged 16 plus Total 
		
		
			 1997 63 77 1 141 
			 1998 71 234 9 314 
			 1999 83 308 5 396 
			 2000 93 344 3 440 
			 2001 24 337 1 362 
			 2002 64 119 19 202 
			 2003(9) — — — 261 
			 2004 82 165 1 248 
		
	
	(9) An age breakdown for 2003 is not available.
	Source:
	8B Survey

National Grid for Learning

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the operation of the National Grid for Learning within the London borough of Havering.

Charles Clarke: My Department does not assess the operation of the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) programme, or its successor the ICT in Schools programme, at individual local authority level. Each authority is responsible for making sure that ICT in Schools' funding is used to best effect in support of national priorities. The NGfL Pathfinders and ImpaCT2 studies investigated the roll out and effect of the programme nationwide. These reported the different approaches to implementing the then National Grid for Learning taken by authorities and ImpaCT2, for example, reported that the effective use of ICT could improve levels of pupil attainment by the equivalent of half a grade at GCSE.

Ofsted Inspections

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints were made about Ofsted inspections in 2003–04.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Ofsted Inspections

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he expects the new school inspection system to be in place nationwide by September 2005.

David Miliband: Subject to parliamentary scrutiny, time and approval, we plan for the new system to be operational as planned.

Pupil Exclusions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children with special educational needs were subject to (a) a permanent exclusion and (b) a fixed term exclusion in the most recent period for which data is available.

Margaret Hodge: The requested information relating to permanent exclusions is given in the table.
	The Department started to collect information on fixed period exclusions from summer term 2003 and published some information about the first term on 29 July. However, there were concerns about the reliability of some of the data. They were not sufficiently robust to provide an analysis by special educational needs. We expect that future surveys will result in improved data quality.
	
		Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools1,2: Number of permanent exclusions by special educational needs (SEN)—2002/03 (estimates) 3—England
		
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population(13) 
		
		
			 Pupils with SEN 6,170 66 0.45 
			 of which:
			 Pupils with statements of SEN 1,030 11 0.43 
			 SEN pupils without  statements 5,140 55 0.46 
		
	
	(10) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(11) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	(12) Estimates based on incomplete pupil level data.
	(13) The number of excluded pupils expressed as a percentage of the school population by SEN.
	Note:
	Totals may not appear to equal the sum of constituent parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Pupil Exclusions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the latest figures are for the average periods between a child (a) with special educational needs and (b) without special educational needs being permanently excluded from school and being placed in a Pupil Referral Unit.

Margaret Hodge: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Religious Education

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to extend the recently issued guidelines regarding the study of religious faiths other than Christianity to faith schools.

David Miliband: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), in partnership with the Department, recently launched a new non-statutory national framework for Religious Education to support the delivery of high quality religious education (RE) in schools. While it provides for opportunities for pupils to study all of the principal religions in Great Britain, and other religious traditions and secular philosophies in line with the Government's goals of inclusion, tolerance and diversity, it also reinforces the position of Christianity as the dominant religion of this country. All of the major UK faith and belief communities and professional groups were involved in its development.
	While the Framework is non-statutory, we will be encouraging Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs) and Agreed Syllabus Conferences (ASCs) to use it in drawing up their locally agreed syllabus for schools in their area. Voluntary aided schools of a religious character are required to deliver RE within the tenets of their own faith, but we hope they too will see the value of the Framework and adopt it to enhance their existing RE provision.

School Leavers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils left full time education at the age of 16 in England in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The provisional estimate of young people aged 16 who were not in full-time education in the previous academic year, 2003–04, is given in Table 1. Many of these were in Apprenticeships or other training, so the proportion of young people in the age cohort who were not in any education or training is also shown in the table.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Not in full-time education(14) 27.6 
			 Not in any education or training 12.9 
		
	
	(14) This group comprised of those who were in work based learning programmes; employer funded training; other education and training; and those who were not in any education or training
	These estimates are taken from snapshot information as at the end of the calendar year. They are taken from the Department's Statistical First Release (SFR 18/2004) entitled, 'Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16–18 year olds in England: 2002 and 2003'.

School Standards Grant

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on proposals to review the school standards grant;
	(2)  if he will assess the merits of (a) increasing the number of bands for the school standards grant and (b) allocating the school standards grant on a per pupil basis.

David Miliband: Revenue funding for schools will increase by some £3.5 billion overall between 2005–06 and 2007–08. That means increased revenue funding for schools by about £1,300 per pupil or 45 per cent. in real terms in the 10 years since 1997.
	We look forward in the months ahead to discussions with schools and local education authorities on the best way to deliver all the resources which support schools. There will be a new ring-fenced budget for schools from 2006–07 and the Government are committed both to delivering three year budgets for schools and to rationalising the existing funding streams.

Secondary School Funding

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the funding per head for secondary school pupils in Watford constituency (a) was in 1997 and (b) is in 2004.

David Miliband: The information requested is produced according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Watford is a district of Hertfordshire local education authority. Total funding per pupil for pupils aged 11–15 in Hertfordshire was £3,260 in 1997–98 and £4,090 in 2004–05, an increase of 25 per cent. in real terms. This includes funding via Education Formula Spending/Standard Spending Assessment and Grants, and excludes the pensions transfer to EPS.
	Notes:
	1. Price base: Real terms at 2003–04 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30 June 2004. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of education SSA/EFS settlements and exclude the pensions transfers to EFS made in 2003–04 and 2004–05. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 11–15 and exclude Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations. The figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 5. The 2004–05 figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited.

Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to comply with the Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order 2003.

Stephen Twigg: My Department remains committed to reducing energy use. We already have a number of measures in place including the purchase of renewable energy and a building heated from the incineration of waste material. Performance is regularly monitored, reviewed and updated to ensure continuous improvement.
	The Framework for Sustainable Development on Government Estate target already forms part of the Department Energy Strategy. Plans to integrate the requirements of the CHP Sustainable Energy Act 2003 are already being considered. These include the purchase of electricity from these sources and the feasibility of developing on-site CHP plant capability.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each month of 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Numbers of press releases issued by the Department in each month of 2004 were as follows:
	
		
			 2004 Number 
		
		
			 January 6 
			 February 7 
			 March 20 
			 April 15 
			 May 15 
			 June 20 
			 July 11 
			 August 8 
			 September 10 
			 October 22 
			 Total 134

Gambling

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the locations are of the casinos already in existence in the UK.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 1 November 2004
	There are currently 134 casinos operating in the United Kingdom. A list of these casinos and their locations is as follows.
	
		Casinos-currently operating
		
			 Casino name Licensing area 
		
		
			 International Casino Aberdeen 
			 Gala Casino Aberdeen 
			 Stanley Wirral Casino Birkenhead 
			 Stanley China Palace Casino Birmingham 
			 Stanley Midland Wheel Club Birmingham 
			 Rainbow Casino Birmingham 
			 Grosvenor Casino Birmingham 
			 Gala International Casino Birmingham 
			 Stanley Casino Birmingham 
			 Stanley Casino Blackpool 
			 Paris Casino Blackpool 
			 Grosvenor Casino Blackpool 
			 Stanley Casino Bolton 
			 Gala Casino Bournemouth 
			 Stanley Casino Bournemouth 
			 Napoleons Casino Club Bradford 
			 Gala Casino Bradford 
			 Brighton International Casino Brighton and Hove 
			 Rendezvous Casino Brighton and Hove 
			 Grosvenor Casino x2 Brighton and Hove 
			 Gala Casino Bristol 
			 Triangle Casino Bristol 
			 Grosvenor Casino Bristol 
			 Stanley Annabelle Casino Bristol 
			 Grosvenor Casino Cardiff 
			 Les Croupiers Casino Cardiff 
			 Gala Electric Casino Cardiff 
			 Stanley Casino Coventry 
			 Stanley Annabelle Casino Coventry 
			 Carlton Casino Club Derby 
			 Stanley Casino Derby 
			 Castle Hill Casino Dudley 
			 Gala Casino Dundee 
			 Stanley Edinburgh Casino Edinburgh 
			 Gala Maybury Casino Edinburgh 
			 Stanley Cascades Casino Edinburgh 
			 Rendezvous Casino London (South Western) 
			 Napoleons Casino London (South Western) 
			 50 St. James London (South Western) 
			 Hard Rock Casino London (South Western) 
			 Crockfords Club London (South Western) 
			 Aspinall's London (South Western) 
			 Golden Nugget London (South Western) 
			 Les Ambassadeurs Club London (South Western) 
			 Gala Casino (Piccadilly) London (South Western) 
			 Grosvenor Casino London (West) 
			 London Park Tower Casino London (West) 
			 Mint Casino London (West) 
			 The Connoissuer Club London (West) 
			 Maxims London (West) 
			 Luton International Casino Luton 
			 Grosvenor Casino Luton 
			 Stanley Casino Luton 
			 Stanley St. Anne's Casino Lytham St. Anne's 
			 Grosvenor Casino (Empire St) Manchester 
			 Stanley Strand Casino Manchester 
			 Stanley Casino (The Circus) Manchester 
			 Rendezvous Casino Club # Manchester 
			 Grosvenor Casino (Whitworth) Manchester 
			 Hard Rock Casino Manchester 
			 Grosvenor Casino (George Street) Manchester 
			 Stanley Cascades Casino Margate and Ramsgate 
			 Stanley Casino Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
			 Grosvenor Casino Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
			 Gala Regent Casino Northampton 
			 Gala Casino Northampton 
			 Gala Casino (Bridlesmith Gate) Nottingham 
			 Gala Casino (Maid Marion Way) Nottingham 
			 Victoria Club Nottingham 
			 Grosvenor Casino Plymouth 
			 Stanley Grand Casino Plymouth 
			 Grosvenor Casino Portsmouth and Southsea 
			 Stanley Berkeley Casino Edinburgh 
			 Stanley Berkeley Casino Glasgow 
			 Gala Merchant City Casino Glasgow 
			 Gala Riverboat Casino Glasgow 
			 Gala Casino Glasgow 
			 Gala Rotunda Casino Glasgow 
			 Grosvenor Casino Great Yarmouth 
			 Stanley Kings Casino Great Yarmouth 
			 Grosvenor Casino Huddersfield 
			 Napoleons Casino Club Kingston-upon-Hull 
			 Gala Casino Kingston-upon-Hull 
			 Grosvenor Casino (Merrion) Leeds 
			 Napoleons Casino Club Leeds 
			 Gala Casino Leeds 
			 Grosvenor Casino (Moortown) Leeds 
			 Stanley Annabelle Casino Leicester 
			 Stanley Casino Leicester 
			 Stanley Grand Casino Liverpool 
			 Stanley Casino Liverpool 
			 Leo Casino Liverpool 
			 Grosvenor Casino Liverpool 
			 Gala Casino London (East Central) 
			 Gala Casino London (East Central) 
			 Grosvenor Victoria Casino London (North Western) 
			 Gala Golden Horseshoe London (North Western) 
			 Gala Barracuda Casino London (North Western) 
			 Palm Beach Casino London (South Western) 
			 Ritz Club London (South Western) 
			 Colony Club London (South Western) 
			 Clermont Club London (South Western) 
			 Stanley Casino Portsmouth and Southsea 
			 Grosvenor Casino (Osborne) Portsmouth and Southsea 
			 Grosvenor Casino Ramsgate 
			 Grosvenor Casino Reading 
			 Reading Sporting Club Reading 
			 Stanley Albion Casino Salford 
			 Grosvenor Casino Salford 
			 Grosvenor Casino Scarborough 
			 Grosvenor Casino Sheffield 
			 Napoleons (Ecclesali) Sheffield 
			 Napoleons (Owlerton) Sheffield 
			 Grosvenor Casino Southampton 
			 Harbour House Casino Southampton 
			 Stanley Casino Southampton 
			 Westcliff Sporting Club Southend-on-Sea 
			 Spielers Casino Southend-on-Sea 
			 Rendezvous Casino Club Southend-on-Sea 
			 Stanley Casino Southport 
			 Casino 36 Stockport 
			 Gala Casino Stockport 
			 Grosvenor Casino Stoke-on-Trent 
			 Stanley Casino Stoke-on-Trent 
			 Gala Casino Sunderland 
			 Grosvenor Casino Swansea 
			 Gala Casino Teesside 
			 Stanley Torquay Casino Torbay (Torquay) 
			 Sorrento Casino Walsall 
			 Grosvenor Casino Walsall 
			 The Shaftesbury Casino West Bromwich 
			 Gala Casino Wolverhampton 
			 Rubicon Casino Wolverhampton 
		
	
	Note:
	Brighton and Hove currently has two Grosvenor casinos in its licensing area.

Hut Preservation (Ross Island)

Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues in relation to the preservation of the huts built on Ross Island in Antarctica by the expeditions of Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has discussed the on-going preservation and conservation of the huts of the Antarctic explorers Scott and Shackleton with the Prime Minister of New Zealand which has territorial responsibility for the Ross Dependency in Antarctica where the huts are located. In September, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Media and Heritage met the High Commissioner of New Zealand to discuss proposals by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to preserve the huts.
	The British Government are keen to support New Zealand's efforts to preserve these historic huts. In 2002, the Government, through the Government of the British Antarctic Territory, donated £70,000 to support the proposed Ross Sea heritage restoration project developed by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. Officials in my Department have also been exploring funding options to assist with this but no suitable sources of funding within the UK heritage sector have been found. However, the Government will continue to support fundraising efforts for the preservation of these unique huts.

DEFENCE

Administration Costs

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 483W, on Ministry of Defence administration costs, what estimate he has made of the Ministry of Defence's administration budget for financial years 1997–98 to 2007–08.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has agreed to introduce an administration costs control regime to cover the Spending Review 2004 period. The MOD is still working with the Treasury to finalise the details of what will be encompassed and how it will be measured. The new regime will take effect in the financial year starting in April 2005. There are no plans to estimate administration costs for previous years.

Army Support Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the recent contract for Army support vehicles will include (a) electronics and (b) the ability to add electronics.

Adam Ingram: Support vehicles will include an embedded electronic engine management system, which will record modifications to the engine, assist in fault diagnosis, control fuel usage and exhaust emissions, together with recording a profile of the vehicles' usage.
	It will be possible to upgrade this system in the future, if required.

Army Support Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the requirement by the Army for a range of family medium vehicles will include the possibility of purchasing the US Stryker family of vehicles.

Adam Ingram: Studies planned for the Assessment Phase will consider a range of options for delivering the Future Rapid Effects System capability. The Assessment Phase work is in its very early stages, therefore it is too early to pre-judge the merits of potential candidates.

Capital Commitments

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to note 20 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2003–04, HC 1080, if he will list the capital commitments that have been contracted but not provided for.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Combat Clothing

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the production centres that will produce combat clothing for the armed forces are located.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence generally places contracts for combat clothing with UK and EU suppliers who, depending on the item involved, choose to either manufacture or sub-contract at locations in the UK, mainland Europe and overseas.

Combat Clothing

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has taken to ensure that the quality of combat clothing is maintained.

Adam Ingram: In any clothing contract, including combat clothing, suppliers identify controls within their accredited quality systems to ensure performance levels are maintained. The Ministry of Defence requires ISO accreditation from prime contractors and has quality surveillance methods, including sample testing, to ensure that finished items are compliant with the contracted specification.

Departmental Databases

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a list of the tables and related fields of the (a) Defence Balanced Scorecard Application, (b) RAPID database, (c) CDRT database, (d) the CLIME database, (e) Defence Procurement Agency's OATS database and (f) Defence Procurement Agency's COO database, together with diagrams showing the table relationships;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a list of the tables and related fields of (a) his Department's parliamentary questions database, (b) his Department's GODIVA database, (c) the Defence Bills Agency Monthly Journal of Records database, (d) his Department's Departmental Financial Management System database, and (e) the Defence Procurement Agency's ORACLE financial analyser database together with diagrams showing the table relationships.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Departmental Management Groups

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library organisational diagrams showing his Department's (a) top level budget holders, (b) intermediate management groups and (c) management groups for financial years 1999–2000 to 2003–04.

Adam Ingram: Yes.

HMS Sandown/Inverness/Bridport

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer (a) HMS Sandown, (b) HMS Inverness and (c) HMS Bridport to an overseas navy.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA) is seeking to secure a Government-to-Government sale for these vessels with an overseas navy. Initial exploratory discussions have taken place with several overseas nations and will continue.

Iraq

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of changes in the security situation in the south east of Iraq since June;
	(2)  whether the security situation in south east Iraq has improved since June.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 25 October 2004
	British personnel and other Coalition members are working closely with the Iraqi security forces to increase stability in the south east of Iraq. There have been peaks in insurgent activity, such as that in August, which have presented particular challenges to the Coalition but progress continues to be made towards successful elections in January.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he expects the solution for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) requirement to be achieved as part of a Private Finance Initiative.

Adam Ingram: The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project is still in its early stages and, as yet, no final decisions have been made on the scope of the capability sought and how best to deliver that requirement. However, from the studies so far, it is not currently envisaged that a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) solution will be adopted, although innovative solutions, including Public Private Partnering principles, will be welcomed.

RAF Lyneham

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Virgin Atlantic about further usage of RAF Lyneham.

Adam Ingram: Following a Question Book correction, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 595W, I can confirm that Defence Ministers have had no such discussions.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what warranty comes from the manufacturer on submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It is the Ministry of Defence's policy to obtain Express Warranties from the contractor for the procurement of technically complex or safety critical equipment, such as submarines, where these offer value for money. Express Warranties are likely to offer greater benefit than remedies implied by General Law, are clearly defined, and include warranty claims procedures that provide greater certainty. The last submarines to be commissioned into service with the Royal Navy were the Vanguard Class and each submarine had a 12-month Express Warranty from the manufacturer.

Submarines

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy since 1974 have had defects affecting their seaworthiness identified and remedied during their sea trials prior to handover;
	(2)  how many submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy since 1974 developed defects affecting their seaworthiness within six months of handover.

Adam Ingram: Before a submarine goes to sea it undergoes an extensive series of trials and equipment setting-to-work in the shipyard. It is not unusual for defects to emerge during the course of the Sea Trials, or within six months of a newly commissioned submarine entering service, and careful planning is undertaken to ensure such defects can be dealt with as they arise. The vast majority of these defects have no impact on a submarine's seaworthiness. Systems that could affect seaworthiness generally have some form of back up to prevent the submarine from being at risk as a result of a single failure; this is inherent in the design. Safety is of paramount importance and a submarine would not be sent to sea unless it was safe to do so.
	Statistical data on Contractor Sea Trials that are carried out for each new submarine prior to acceptance into service with the Royal Navy are not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Territorial Army (Iraq)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army soldiers deployed to Iraq since March 2003 have been graded (a) skilled and (b) average in their weapons test.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 October 2004
	Following the conclusion of the Court Martial of Lance Corporal Blaymire and Lance Corporal Sherratt, officials are collating these data. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Warships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the replacement of RFA Argus.

Adam Ingram: It is currently planned that the Joint Casualty Treatment Ship will replace the medical facility provided by RFA Argus and that other vessels will be able to deploy anti-submarine helicopters. Options for replacing the air training capability provided by RFA Argus are being examined.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of measures taken to tackle antisocial behaviour within the Hornchurch constituency.

Hazel Blears: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 is the single biggest package of measures tackling antisocial behaviour. They were introduced after widespread consultation with communities and practitioners. These powers are part of the Government's Together campaign to help local people and agencies tackle the menace of yob behaviour. The Act and Together apply across all of England and Wales including the hon. Member's Constituency.
	Havering Community Safety Partnership (HCSP) are aware that antisocial behaviour is a key concern for residents, and has responded by developing an Antisocial Behaviour Strategy that seeks to develop a co-ordinated approach to tackling antisocial behaviour, by joining up initiatives currently operating in the borough.
	The strategy focuses on four key work areas:
	Targeting hotspots
	Targeting persistent offenders and those at risk
	Tackling environmental crime
	Protecting and supporting victims and witnesses
	Figures released on Thursday 28 October from the National Survey on Antisocial Behaviour show that between April 1999 and June 2004 that the London borough of Havering have issued:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Antisocial Behaviour Orders 5 
			 Dispersal Orders 2 
			 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts 6 
		
	
	I understand from Havering's return to this survey that their overall antisocial behaviour strategy has proved successful in improving community confidence.

Antisocial Behaviour

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Bournemouth since their introduction.

Hazel Blears: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. The number of notifications received by the Home office of ASBOs issued, up to 30 June 2004 (latest available), where the restrictions imposed are specific to the local government area of Bournemouth, is one.

Communications Interception

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications submitted by public authorities other than MI5, MI6 and GCHQ for authorisation for direct surveillance and the use of covert human intelligence sources were (a) approved and (b) rejected under sections 28 and 29 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for each year since the inception of the Act.

Caroline Flint: Numbers of authorisations granted for the carrying out of directed surveillance (under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA)) or for the conduct or the use of covert human intelligence source (under section 29) are published in the Annual Reports of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner.
	Sections 28 and 29 of RIPA came into force on 25 January 2000. The published figures cover include authorisations granted under sections 28 and 29 of RIPA, within law enforcement agencies since 1 April 2001 and for other public authorities since 1 April 2003. Details of all authorisations granted within law enforcement agencies and other public authorities have been available to the Surveillance Commissioners for inspection since 2000 but only collected centrally since April 2003.
	
		Section 28 (directed surveillance)
		
			  Law enforcement 1 Other public authorities 
		
		
			 2000–01 (16)— (16)— 
			 2001–02 27,800 (16)— 
			 2002–03 26,400 (16)— 
			 2003–04 26,986 6,398 
		
	
	(15) The National Criminal Intelligence Service, the National Crime Squad, the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, HM Customs and Excise and police forces.
	(16) Not held centrally.
	
		Section 29 (covert human intelligence source)
		
			  Law enforcement Other public authorities 
		
		
			 2000–01 (17)— (17)— 
			 2001–02 5,400 (17)— 
			 2002–03 5,900 (17)— 
			 2003–04 5,907 273 
		
	
	(17) Not held centrally
	Numbers of applications put to persons entitled to grant authorisations under section 28 and 29 of RIPA that have not resulted in the grant of authorisation are not collected centrally.
	As the exercise of powers under sections 28 and 29 of RIPA is kept under review by the Intelligence Services Commissioner and not the Chief Surveillance Commissioner, the number of authorisations made by the intelligence services are excluded from the figures published by the Chief Surveillance Commissioner.

Community Support Officers

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community safety officers are deployed in Cornwall.

Hazel Blears: At the end of September 39 community support officers were deployed in Cornwall.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him dated 9 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Dr. Yousef Daabaj.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 1 November 2004.

Crime

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) thefts from vehicles, (b) thefts of vehicles and (c) burglaries were recorded in North Tyneside in each of the last 24 months.

Hazel Blears: The available data are quarterly and relates to the North Tyneside Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area.
	
		Offences recorded by the police in North Tyneside CDRP
		
			 Period Thefts from vehicles Thefts of vehicles All burglaries 
		
		
			 April-June 2002 321 162 653 
			 July-September 2002 342 134 551 
			 October-December 2002 304 184 678 
			 January-March 2002 299 160 583 
			 April-June 2003 321 168 609 
			 July-September 2003 325 173 471 
			 October-December 2003 326 127 539 
			 January-March 2004 332 165 516

Crime

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of (a) racially aggravated offences, (b) violent crime, (c) robbery of personal property and (d) drug offences have been recorded in (i) Avon and Somerset constabulary area and (ii) England in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the tables.
	Avon and Somerset adopted the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in October 2000 but the force acknowledged a reinforced effort from April 2001 which reflected a further increase in the number of offences recorded. The NCRS was introduced nationally across England and Wales in April 2002. An analysis of the impact of NCRS, both nationally and for individual forces, was published in two companion volumes to 'Crime in England and Wales 2002–03'. Both volumes are available on the Home Office website. The volume covering the national picture is available at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr3103.pdf and the volume covering individual forces is available at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr3203.pdf
	For the reasons outlined, the information requested is provided in separate tables for Avon and Somerset and England.
	
		Table 1: Offences recorded by the police in Avon and Somerset 1
		
			  Number of offences 
			 Period Racially aggravated offences(19) Violent crime Robbery of personal property Drug offences(20) 
		
		
			 1997–98 — 13,219 — 461 
			 1998–99(21) — 14,985 1,694 2,145 
			 1999–2000 240 16,061 2,177 2,017 
			 2000–01 478 19,071 2,573 1,990 
			 2001–02 700 23,670 4,585 1,860 
			 2002–03 900 25,813 3,289 2,308 
			 2003–04 1,256 30,954 2,682 2,457 
		
	
	(18) The force moved to a National Crime Recording Standard approach in advance of the national implementation in April 2002. As a result, their figures may not reflect the picture for England as a whole.
	(19) Includes religiously aggravated offences from April 2002.
	(20) Trafficking in controlled drugs only for 1997–98. Includes possession and other drug offences thereafter.
	(21) Expanded coverage and revised counting rules came into force from April 1998.
	
		Table 2: Offences recorded by the police in England
		
			  Number of offences 
			 Period Racially aggravated offences(22) Violent crime Robbery of personal property Drug offences(23) 
		
		
			 1997–98 — 332,683 — 21,774 
			 1998–99(24) — 571,031 55,645 126,355 
			 1999–2000 21,122 662,521 71,387 113,345 
			 2000–01 24,303 692,563 82,010 105,106 
			 2001–02 29,223 781,906 107,458 113,350 
			 2002–03(25) 29,721 935,059 95,735 130,835 
			 2003–04(25) 33,584 1,052,602 89,948 131,551 
		
	
	(22) Includes religiously aggravated offences from April 2002.
	(23) Trafficking in controlled drugs only for 1997–98. Includes possession and other drug offences thereafter.
	(24) Expanded coverage and revised counting rules came into force from April 1998.
	(25) This denotes the national implementation of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. Figures for subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alcohol-related crimes have been reported in Bournemouth in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Criminal Records Bureau

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Criminal Records Bureau standard application information includes details of bank account (a) sort code and (b) account number; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Sections E and F of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure application form contains a number of fields for completion by applicants, including bank account details, for the purposes of assisting in verifying the individual's identity. However, since December 2002 the CRB no longer requires applicants to provide such details. The Bureau communicated this change to Registered Bodies in January 2003 and the Guidance Notes state that this section is no longer to be completed. The section was formally revoked by the Police Act (Criminal Records) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2003 with effect from February 2003.
	In response to concerns from Registered Bodies, employers, voluntary organisations and customers about the need to provide the personal information asked for in Sections E and F of the application form, the CRB carried out a review of its authentication rules and processes. This review concluded that:
	the removal of Section E from the process of identity validation and verification would not compromise the overall authentication of an applicant's identity and;
	there had been no instances to date, where the CRB had used information from Section F as part of the authentication rules. The requirement to provide this information could therefore be removed without compromising the overall authentication of an applicant's identity.

Departmental Recruitment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel the Department has recruited under the New Deal in each of the past five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 25 October 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1052W.

Driving (Mobile Telephones)

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people have been charged within the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Service with the use of a mobile telephone while driving, at the latest date for which records are available;
	(2)  if he will require the Metropolitan Police Service to publish details of convictions for driving while using a mobile telephone on a borough basis.

Hazel Blears: Data on the number of people charged by the police are not collected centrally.
	Data on police action (written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings) for 2003 on the new offence of driving while using a hand held mobile telephone will not be available until early in 2005. The number of defendants convicted of this new offence in the Metropolitan Police Service area will be available by petty sessional area, which is a grouping of magistrates courts. Those in the Metropolitan Police force area are listed in the table.
	We do not propose asking the Metropolitan Police Service to publish their figures on a borough basis.
	2004 data are expected to be published in autumn 2005.
	
		Petty sessional areas within Greater London
		
			 Outer London area Inner London area 
		
		
			 Stratford (Newham MCC) South Westminster 
			 Acton (Ealing MCC) South Eastern 
			 Barnet North Westminster 
			 Bromley South Western 
			 Bexley Thames 
			 Croydon South Central 
			 Sutton West London 
			 Ealing East Central (Highbury) 
			 Hendon (Barnet MCC) — 
			 Haringey — 
			 Enfield — 
			 Harrow — 
			 Brent — 
			 Wimbledon (Merton MCC) — 
			 Hillingdon (Hillingdon MCC) — 
			 Richmond upon Thames — 
			 Brentford (Hounslow MCC) — 
			 Kingston upon Thames — 
			 Waltham Forest — 
			 Barking — 
			 Red bridge —

Merseyside Crime Initiative Unit

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of Merseyside Police's domestic violence units.

Hazel Blears: There are a number of initiatives to tackle domestic violence, which are being delivered by Merseyside Police Family Support Units. The units were set up in January to provide a pan-Merseyside multi agency approach to domestic violence to improve the services which are offered to victims.
	There are six base command units within Merseyside Police, which cover Wirral, Sefton, St. Helen's, Knowsley and North and South Liverpool. Each of these units has a Family Support Unit, which liaises with their local Domestic Violence Forum, and Domestic Violence Steering Group to provide local services on domestic violence. The units also link to the multi agency public protection arrangements.
	Responsibility for the forces domestic violence strategy lies with the Public Protection Unit. The Police Public Protection Unit and the Family Support Units meet on a monthly basis to discuss local initiatives and to share good practice.
	The initiatives, which have been put in place within the Family Support Units, include:
	A Domestic Violence Awareness Raising Week—run this September;
	Panic attack alarms and mobile phone scheme—alarms and some mobile phones are given to those victims who are most at risk;
	Development of a risk assessment referral form—allows the police to pass on victims details to other agencies;
	Bronze, Silver and Gold Response initiative has been set up for the units to determine the level of risk to a victim;
	999 First in Line Pilot—This will provide training to front line police officers on the referral, identification and support of victims of domestic violence. The pilot is due to start in December;
	A Crown Prosecution Service Custody Charging Pilot is currently running within Merseyside Police Custody Suites for Custody Officers dealing with domestic violence cases;
	A computerised case tracking system called PROTECT has been introduced and allows Merseyside Police to track domestic violence cases through the court process;
	Polaroid camera scheme—where police vehicles are equipped with camera's for front line officers to take photo's of victim's injuries.
	In addition to these initiatives Merseyside Police will be running, the Operation Goodwill Christmas campaign this year. The focus of the initiative will be on offenders of domestic violence—with a clear message that offenders will be and can be prosecuted through independent prosecutions.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to ensure that officers on career breaks are kept up to date with new developments.

Hazel Blears: The career break scheme for police officers is set out in Home Office Circular 4/2001 and requires chief officers to agree with the officer concerned the obligations and expectations on the officer and the force during the career break. These should include any need to keep up to date with new legislative requirements, how this will be achieved and refresher training on return to the force.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when special priority payments in the police service will be evaluated.

Hazel Blears: A review was carried out by the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) in October 2003. This resulted in agreement to increase the percentage of officers eligible to receive payments from 30 per cent. to 40 per cent. and a requirement that forces monitor the impact on diversity. The Home Office keeps under review all aspects of the impact of the 2002 PNB agreement on pay and conditions for police officers.

Police

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were deployed in the Falmouth and Camborne constituency in each year from 1997 to 2004.

Hazel Blears: The Falmouth and Camborne parliamentary constituency is part of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Basic Command Unit (BCU) of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. Information on strength at BCU level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002. BCU strength between March 2002 and March 2004 is set out in the table.
	
		Cornwall and Isles of Scilly basic command unit
		
			 As at 31 March Number of police officers 
		
		
			 2002 706 
			 2003 737 
			 2004 774 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide police numbers at constituency level.
	The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Mrs. Maria Wallis QPM) and within the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

Police Disciplinary Procedures

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to introduce reforms of police disciplinary procedures for the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The police disciplinary procedures are detailed in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2004 and apply to all police officers across the police service in England and Wales.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has asked for a review of the police disciplinary arrangements to report to him in December 2004 and this review is under way. Following receipt of this report the Home Secretary will consider the appropriate next steps.

Terrorism

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the risk of a terrorist attack involving anthrax.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 28 October 2004
	Many different terrorist threats have been considered, and scenarios are constantly being tested and reviewed. We do not publicly go into the detail of threat and risk assessments or scenarios, since the information could be useful to terrorists.
	The threat is monitored very closely and is regularly assessed.

Terrorism

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested for terrorist offences since 11 September 2001; and how many of them (a) have been charged, (b) have been released without charge, (c) have been bailed, (d) are still in custody, (e) were prosecuted in court for terrorist offences, (f) were convicted for terrorist offences and (g) were handed over to immigration officials; and in relation to those convicted of terrorist offences (i) with what offences they were charged and (ii) what sentences the court imposed.

David Blunkett: The figures requested are not routinely collected centrally by the police in the form requested. However, their records show that, cumulatively from 11 September 2001 until 30 June 2004, 609 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000. 61 of these were charged under the Act and 38 under both the Terrorism Act and other legislation. The remainder were either released without charge, bailed to return, cautioned, charged under other legislation (such as that for murder, grievous bodily harm and use of firearms or explosives), or dealt with under immigration or mental health legislation. Of the 99 individuals charged under the Terrorism Act, 15 have been convicted.
	It will continue to be the case that some persons arrested under the Terrorism Act will be charged with offences such as murder, grievous bodily harm, use of firearms or explosives which are all outside the scope of the Terrorism Act. A simplistic quote from the Terrorism Act statistics is therefore not the best way to evaluate the success of the Police and the Security Services.
	The figures now appear on the Home Office website and will be updated every six months.
	Home Office Research Development and Statistics publish a Command Paper and supplementary volumes of criminal statistics annually. A breakdown of prosecutions and convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 for 2001 and 2002 is attached. Figures for 2003 will not be available until later in the year.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts for offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, England and Wales 2002 1
		
			   Sentence breakdown 
			  Offence description  Statute Proceeded against Found guilty  Sentenced  Fine Immediate custody 
		
		
			 Relating to membership of proscribed organisations Terrorism Act 2000, Sec 11 1 1 1 — 1 
			 Wearing any item of dress in support of a proscribed organisation Terrorism Act 2000, Sec 13a — — — — — 
			 Wears, carries or displays any article in support of a proscribed organisation Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.13b 1 1 1 1 — 
			 Contributions towards acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000, Secs 15–18 & 22 8 1 1 — 1 
			 Failure to disclose knowledge or suspicion of acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.19 — — — — — 
			 Failure to leave a cordoned area immediately when ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000, Sec.36(1)(a) 1 — — — — 
			 Failure to leave premises, which abut or are wholly or partially within a cordoned area, immediately if ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(1)(b) 1 — — — — 
			 Failure of driver or person in charge of a vehicle which is in a cordoned area to immediately move the vehicle if ordered to do so by a constable in uniform Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(c)(d)(e) — — — — — 
			 Contravention or a prohibition or restriction order made by a constable in uniform to a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.36(f) — — — — — 
			 Making any disclosure likely to prejudice an investigation about acts of terrorism or failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.39 — — — — — 
			 Failure to stop (Power to stop and search vehicles and pedestrians) Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.43, 44 and 47(1)(a)(b)(2) 1 — — — — 
			 Wilful obstruction (Power to stop and search vehicles and pedestrians) Terrorism Act 2000 Secs.43, 44 and 47(1)(c) and (2) — — — — — 
			 Failure to move vehicle when ordered to do so by a constable in uniform, (vehicle had been permitted to remain at rest in contravention of any prohibition or restriction) Terrorism Act 2000, Secs.48and 51(2) — — — — — 
			 Leaves a vehicle, or permits a vehicle to remain at rest, on a road in contravention of a prohibition or restriction Terrorism Act 2000 Secs.48 and 51(1) — — — — — 
			 Provides instruction; invites another to receive instruction in weapon training. Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.54 1 — — — — 
			 Directing terrorist training Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.56 1 — — — — 
			 Collect, record or possession of information or articles likely to be of use to terrorists Terrorism Act 2000 Sec.57 and 58 3 1 1 — 1 
			 Failure to furnish information when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000 Sch.7(5)(a)and(18) 1 — — — — 
			 Failing to produce either a valid passport or identifying document when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000 Sch.7(5)(b)and(18) — — — — — 
			 Failing to declare or produce any relevant documents when required by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000 Sch7(5)(c)(d)and(18) — — — —  
			 Failing to submit to search by examining officer or person acting on his/her behalf Terrorism Act 2000 Sch7(7)(8)and(18) — — — — — 
			 Failing to complete and produce an embarkation card when required to by examining officer Terrorism Act 2000 Sch 7(16) and (18) 1 — — — — 
			 Wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty in a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000 Sch.5Sec.36(1)(2) — — — — — 
			 Wilfully obstructing or seeking to frustrate the object of a search in a cordoned area Terrorism Act 2000 Sch5(1–3) — — — — — 
			  Total 20 4 4 1 3 
		
	
	(26) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Tsar Appointments

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tsars have been appointed with responsibilities which cover part of the work of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are no individuals with the term 'Tsar' in their job title currently employed by the Home Office.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Payments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension and benefit recipients receive their money by way of a post office card account in (a) Scotland and (b) the City of Edinburgh local authority area.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Information is available on the number of pension and benefit accounts paid into a post office card account as at September 2004. This is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of benefits paid into card account 
		
		
			 (a) Scotland 180,040 
			 (b) Edinburgh 9,935 
		
	
	Data refer to the benefit through which the payment is being made. Therefore if a person is receiving two benefits paid separately into a post office card account, they will be counted twice. Due to the nature of the data it would be difficult to try and accurately match these accounts to a single figure.
	A customer is allowed only one post office card account into which pension and benefit payments are made. If a person receives two or more benefits they would only have one post office card account for receipt of all their payments.

Pathway Pilots

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the Pathways to Work pilots.

Maria Eagle: The Pathways pilots are showing exciting early signs of success. We know that a combination of helping people on incapacity benefit to overcome the barriers they face and tackling discrimination in the workplace can pay dividends for sick and disabled people—opening up job opportunities for them and benefiting society in general as they take their rightful place in the economic life of this country.

Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to comply with the Sustainable Energy (CHP Provisions) Order 2003.

Chris Pond: The Department, in conjunction with its estates partners—Land Securities Trillium—are currently considering the feasibility of installing a combined heat and power plant within one major building on the estate. In order to meet the CHP target contained within the energy section of the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate" we will also consider the purchase of electricity generated by CHP from the grid.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Fair Trade

Paul Burstow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

David Lammy: The Department for Constitutional Affairs also replies on behalf of its associated offices and the Court Service.
	Within the context of the Government's value for money policy and the EU procurement rules, we take every opportunity to encourage the purchase of fair trade goods in line with the Government's commitment to supporting ethical trading, including for hospitality purposes.
	For example, in the Department's headquarters building the caterers always provide fair trade tea and coffee for hospitality and also source fruit juices, honey and other products wherever possible. In addition, the caterers in courts in the northern, north eastern and midlands regions and Wales are able to offer fair trade tea and coffee for hospitality in line with our developing policy.
	New contracts for catering across the HMCS will be let during 2005. These will include a requirement that hospitality within my Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants

Brian White: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the Government's definition is of a civil servant.

Ruth Kelly: The Government are committed to consultation on their proposals for a Civil Service Bill in this parliamentary Session. The definition of a civil servant is one of the issues for consultation.

Contingency Plans

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what additional powers the police have for arresting (a) UK and (b) foreign citizens following a declaration of a state of emergency.

Ruth Kelly: A declaration of a state of emergency under the Emergency Powers Act 1920 allows the Government to make special temporary legislation (emergency regulations) to deal with the most serious of emergencies. The content of any regulations made would depend entirely on the nature of the emergency and no powers would be conferred automatically. The need for any additional powers would be determined on a case by case basis, and given effect by the regulations.

Data Protection

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what procedures are in place (a) to check the criminal records of civil servants in the Department and agencies responsible to the Department who have access to computer databases containing confidential information on the public and (b) to ensure that there can be no improper use of computer databases containing confidential information on the public; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office undertakes pre-appointment checks on all staff, which includes the completion of a character inquiry form asking individuals whether they have ever been convicted in a civil court or been the subject of a court martial. Cabinet Office employees are also subject to a criminal record check as part of the security vetting process described in the then Prime Minister's Statement of 15 December 1994, Official Report, columns 764–66W. Serving members of the Department are required to report convictions to Human Resources. This requirement is set out in the Department's code of conduct, which is available to all staff via the Department's intranet.
	The Department's code of conduct includes a section dealing specifically with the Department's rules on the use and misuse of information, including electronic information and communications. The Department monitors emails for inappropriate use and a reminder on this appears at each login to the Department's IT system. All new users also receive an email on this matter when their accounts are opened.
	Any misuse or abuse of information held within the Department (whether on computer databases or elsewhere) is subject to the Department's disciplinary procedures.

Departmental IT

Brian White: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of the Department's (a) implemental and (b) planned computer systems use open source software; and what plans are in place to raise this level.

Ruth Kelly: There are no statistics currently available on the percentage of open source software (OSS) used in or planned to be used in the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office follows the Government's OSS Policy (version 2 was published on the 28 October 2004), which requires that Government consider OSS solutions alongside proprietary ones in information technology procurements and awards contracts on a value for money basis. It does not therefore have plans in place to raise the level of OSS use, but rather will make software procurement decisions on a case by case basis.

Departmental Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of the staff of the office in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Ruth Kelly: The percentage of staff in Government Departments with disabilities in 2002 and 2003 are detailed on the Cabinet Office statistics website, http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_information/statistical_information/statistics/archived_data/index.asp on the summary tables by disability for the relevant years. The tables show the numbers and percentage of staff who have declared a disability by all staff, and are as at 1 April each year.
	Figures relating to 1 April 2004 are also available on our website at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_information/statistical_information/statistics/whats_new/index.asp
	Copies of these documents are also available in the Library.

Duchy of Lancaster

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many visits he has made to land controlled by his Duchy since his appointment.

Alan Milburn: I have met with Sir Michael Bunbury BT, Chairman, and Paul Clarke, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council of the Duchy and I intend to visit Lancashire later this year, when I will be meeting a number of Duchy tenants and visiting Lancaster University.

Engagements

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list his official engagements for the next three months.

Alan Milburn: My official meetings include meetings with Cabinet colleagues relating to my cross-Government role in the co-ordination of Government policy; my responsibilities for the work of the Strategy Unit and the Policy Directorate; my Duchy of Lancaster role; and my membership of Cabinet.

Ministerial Meetings

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his cross-government role in the co-ordination of Government policy; which policies he has been responsible for overseeing; what meetings he has had with other Ministers of State, excluding Cabinet meetings, to formulate policy; and what the outcomes of these meetings were.

Alan Milburn: For information on my responsibilities, I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 14 October 2004, Official Report, column 358W.
	For information on meetings, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) on 20 October 2004, Official Report, column 720W.

Office Costs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his office's budget is for this financial year.

Alan Milburn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 3 November 2004, Official Report, columns 268–69W.

Press Officers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many press officers the Department has employed in each of the past five years.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 2 November 2004
	The Cabinet Office press office numbers also includes the Press Secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons and the Press Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords.
	For information on press officers between 2000 and 2002, I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 21 January 2003, Official Report, column 1050W.
	The number of press officers employed in the Cabinet Office press office between 2003 and 2004 are shown in the table:
	
		
			 January Number 
		
		
			 2003 8.5 
			 2004 7.5 
		
	
	Note:
	.5 refers to an official whose duties were split between two roles, one being a part time press officer.

Public Engagements

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each of his public engagements for the week beginning 1 November.

Alan Milburn: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 233W.

Strategy Unit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his function of overseeing the work of the (a) Strategy Unit and (b) Policy Directorate.

Alan Milburn: I refer the hon. Member for Romford to the answer given to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on 14 October 2004, Official Report, column 358W.

Temporary Staff

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many agency temporary staff have been working for the Department in each of the last five years, excluding those working for agencies for which no data are kept centrally.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 1 November 2004
	According to records held centrally a total of 69 agency temporary staff were employed in the Cabinet Office at various times during 2003 and 147 so far in 2004. Central records for earlier years are not available.

The Queen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many meetings he has had with Her Majesty the Queen since his appointment.

Alan Milburn: This information is withheld under exemption 3 of the Code of Practice of Access to Government Information.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Constitution

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ratification of the European Constitution.

Denis MacShane: The Treaty must be ratified by all member states in line with their respective constitutional requirements. In the UK this means passing the necessary primary legislation through both Houses of Parliament. The Government have given the further commitment that the Treaty will only pass into UK law if directly approved by the British people in a referendum.

Iraq

James Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress with voter registration in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: The distribution of voter registration forms began on 1 November. The registration period will run until 15 December. It is encouraging that the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq is already receiving forms back. All remains set for elections to be held on time in January.

Iraq

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the grounds for the war in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: Our decision to take military action to enforce Iraq's disarmament obligations, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, was taken as a last resort. The Iraqi regime's refusal to co-operate left us with no option. Our decision was supported by a large majority in the House of Commons on 18 March 2003.

Iraq

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to ensure independent monitoring of the forthcoming elections in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) is responsible for preparing for elections in January 2005. The IECI is being advised and trained by the United Nations, including on the training of independent Iraqi election monitors.
	We will consider any request, that we might receive from the Iraqi authorities for assistance with independent monitoring of the elections.

Iraq

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on EU-US relations on Iraq since the elections in the US.

Denis MacShane: The EU, like the US, agrees that it should work in partnership with the Iraqi Interim Government and the Iraqi people in order to ensure a secure, stable, unified, prosperous and democratic Iraq that will make a positive contribution to the stability of the region.

Iran

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his latest assessment of Iran's nuclear programme.

Jack Straw: The Government continue to be concerned about Iranian programmes to enrich uranium, which could be used to produce weapons-grade fissile material for use in a nuclear weapons programme. These activities appear to be inconsistent with the planned extent of Iran's civil nuclear power programme, and have, in some cases, been pursued covertly for many years.

Iran

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest assessment is of the threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme.

Denis MacShane: The Government continue to be concerned about Iranian programmes to enrich uranium, which could be used to produce weapons-grade fissile material for use in a nuclear weapons programme. These activities appear to be inconsistent with the planned extent of Iran's civil nuclear power programme, and have, in some cases, been pursued covertly for many years.

Lebanon

Iain Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs If he will make a statement on the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon.

Bill Rammell: We co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1559, calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the implications of UNSCR 1559 with Syrian Foreign Minister Shara'a when they met in London on 18 October. We will work for the withdrawal of the Syrian presence and a strengthening of Lebanese institutions. We expect all Lebanon's neighbours to respect Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.

Sudan

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the human rights situation in Sudan.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the (a) Government of Sudan, (b) Special Representative of the UN Secretary and (c) International Committee of the Red Cross about an inter-agency strategy for the protection of the internally displaced population in Darfur which fully respects the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.

Chris Mullin: The UK Government regularly raise with the Government of Sudan the need for them to ensure the protection of all civilians—including displaced persons—in Darfur, and to adhere by the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, including on the need for all returns to be voluntary and appropriate.
	During our respective visits to Sudan, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I both met the UN Special Representative Jan Pronk. We discussed the need for a co-ordinated approach by the international community to help bring security to Darfur.
	We are therefore working with all agencies with a protection mandate, including UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the African Union, to develop and implement a coherent protection strategy which has just been approved by the UN Country Team.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Secretary of State about the US Administration's formal declaration of genocide in Darfur; and if the UK Government will make an equivalent declaration.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had regular discussions with the US Secretary of State about the situation in Darfur. During discussions following Colin Powell's declaration to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 9 September, both the Foreign Secretary and Colin Powell agreed that the key priority was to stop the fighting. The UK and US Governments have been working closely to achieve this.
	We therefore co-sponsored Security Council resolution 1564, which called for the establishment of the International Commission of Inquiry. This Commission began its work on 25 October. It will be for the Commission to determine the nature of the crimes which have taken place in Darfur and to make recommendations on how they should be dealt with.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of displaced people in Southern Sudan.

Chris Mullin: Sudan is host to Africa's longest running civil war, which has been raging in southern Sudan since 1983. While there are no reliable figures, estimates suggest that up to four million people have been displaced as a result.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of fatalities in Southern Sudan since the war began in 1983.

Chris Mullin: While there are no reliable figures, estimates suggest that up to two million people have been killed as a result of the civil war which began in 1983.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary about the provision of international police monitors to support the national police force in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the issue of international police monitors with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. However, we strongly welcomed the inclusion of a civilian police monitoring element in the expanded African Union (AU) mission in Darfur. A UK police planner, on secondment from the Home Office, helped the AU develop its plan in Addis Ababa. We have made clear our willingness to provide personnel and technical expertise to the AU mission, should it be required.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of reports of the World Food Programme on 2 November of the Sudanese army and police surrounding internally displaced people camps near Nyala in Darfur; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether his Department has sought an explanation from the Sudanese Government with regard to reports by the World Food Programme of moves by the Sudanese army and police to surround internally displaced people camps near Nyala in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sudan and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) requires prior consultation before any displaced persons are removed or relocated. This was not done. We have made clear to the Government of Sudan that we hold them fully responsible. We expect the Government of Sudan actively to involve the UN, IOM and the African Union in any voluntary and appropriate return or relocation of displaced persons and we have demanded the withdrawal of Government of Sudan forces from around the camps.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what reports he has received of Sudanese army movements in the Darfur region in Western Sudan since May; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the (a) movements, (b) activities and (c) impact of the Sudanese army in Darfur, Western Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The African Union ceasefire commission produces regular reports on ceasefire violations. All sides have been violating the N'Djamena ceasefire agreement since it was signed in April.
	We continue to press the Government of Sudan on the need for it to refrain from all hostile military action in Darfur, under the obligations placed on it by Security Council resolutions 1556 and 1564.
	We have also called on the Government of Sudan not to retaliate against increased rebel activity in the region, including attacks on police stations.

Sudan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what channels of communication (a) his Department and (b) UK representatives in Sudan have established with (i) the Justice and Equality Movement and (ii) the Sudan Liberation Army and Movement; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We are in regular contact with the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement, both through our embassy in Khartoum and the joint Department for International Development/Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sudan Unit in London. I met the leadership of the SLM in London on 13 October.
	A UK observer has been present at the Darfur peace talks in Abuja, where he has been active in pressing the rebel groups and the Government of Sudan to reach a political solution.

Middle East

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on the Middle East Peace Process.

Bill Rammell: On 26 October the Knesset voted in favour of Prime Minister Sharon's disengagement plan. We welcome the vote and hope the way is now clear for the withdrawals to be implemented. Any withdrawals would be a significant step towards the goal of a two-state solution. We look forward to working with international partners to make the best of this opportunity and to give new impetus to the Middle East Peace Process.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) his European Union counterparts and (b) the European Commission on securing compensation from Israel for the cost of damage to EU-funded projects in the Palestinian territories resulting from Israeli military action.

Bill Rammell: The damage inflicted by Israeli military action on development projects, and the homes and livelihoods of ordinary Palestinian people, has been substantial. We and our European partners have repeatedly made representations to the Israeli Government about the scale of the damage. The European Commission has also sought compensation on several occasions. So far they have only been successful once, in relation to a food warehouse in Gaza. UK officials in Brussels continue to discuss with European Union partners how to take this forward.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) house demolitions and (b) the barrier being built by Israel on the town of Wadi Fukin; and what representations he is making on the issue.

Bill Rammell: The Palestinian village of Wadi Fukin lies between the Green Line and the proposed route of the Israeli barrier, and near to several Israeli settlements. We understand that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have issued orders to appropriate Wadi Fukin agricultural lands for 'security purposes', although there have not as yet been any demolitions. IDF checkpoints have resulted in significant restrictions on freedom of movement for the town's population.
	We fully recognise Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist attack. But it must act within the parameters of international law. The demolition of homes amounts to collective punishment, harms innocent civilians and exacerbates tension. We have repeatedly made clear our objections to the route of the barrier through, and demolitions within, the Occupied Territories. We have not made specific representations about the town of Wadi Fukin.

Maldives

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives from the Maldives Government to discuss the political situation in the country; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to meet representatives of the Maldivian Government. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Investment (Mr. Alexander), will discuss the political situation with the Maldivian High Commissioner to London on 13 December.

Afghanistan

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the 2004 Afghanistan opium survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Bill Rammell: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has not yet published the results of its 2004 poppy cultivation survey in Afghanistan. We anticipate the launch of the survey later this month.

Afghanistan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place between US and UK counter-narcotics officials in Afghanistan regarding the prioritisation of resources for (a) eradicating poppy cultivation and (b) providing alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers.

Bill Rammell: UK and US officials in London, Washington and Kabul have regular discussions on how best to support the Afghan Government's National Drug Control Strategy. We are already providing support to the Afghan Government for poppy eradication and alternative livelihoods for farmers as well as for interdiction to tackle drug trafficking, judicial reform, demand reduction and public awareness. We have committed more than £70 million over three years for counter-narcotics activity plus significant development funding and support for alternative livelihoods. We are working with our international partners to increase activity in all areas of the strategy.

Afghanistan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many successful counter-narcotics operations there have been in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK has committed more than £70 million over three years for counter-narcotics activity plus significant development funding and support for alternative livelihoods. The UK supports the comprehensive Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, which includes law enforcement activity against traffickers, eradication, judicial reform, alternative livelihoods for farmers, demand reduction and public awareness.
	Since it became operational in January 2003, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force, with UK funding and advice, has destroyed over 50 tonnes of opiates, 32 labs and made over 20 arrests. The Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, which was created in January 2003 with UK support, report that to date they have seized 2.1 tons heroin and 13.6 tons opium, over 1.5 tons of which were achieved in UK supported operations together with 4.6 tons of precursor chemicals. The Afghan general and border police also seize opiates in the course of their work, but we do not have reliable figures.

Zimbabwe

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet his EU colleagues to discuss the effectiveness of EU sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: We regularly meet our EU colleagues to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe. If Zimbabwe does not comply with the EU's demands on human rights and democracy by February, when the current measures are due for renewal, we will be urging our EU partners to agree that those sanctions be renewed.

Emerging Democracies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is giving to free trade unions in emerging democracies.

Denis MacShane: The FCO continues to attach importance to the establishment of free trade unions as an integral part of a functioning civil society. Our ambassadors regularly raise the rights of unions to organise in a number of countries and protest when International Labour Organization core labour standards are infringed. We also support specific projects to aid the establishment and operation of free trade unions in emerging democracies and post conflict countries.

Armenian Community (Turkey)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote reconciliation between the Armenian community in Turkey and the Government of Turkey.

Denis MacShane: As the European Commission's 6 October report noted, Turkey has put in place reforms to minority rights and religious freedoms in its bid to open accession negotiations with the EU. In January a 'Minority Issues Assessment Board' was set up to address the problems of non-Muslim minorities, such as the Armenians. Further progress, however, is still required and I continue to press the Turkish Government for further reforms.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits he has made to Belarus since his appointment as Foreign Secretary.

Denis MacShane: Current EU policy, based on the 1997 General Affairs Council Conclusions, restricts ministerial level contact between the EU and Belarus. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited Belarus during this time.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which external bodies monitored the recent elections in Belarus; and what their assessments were.

Denis MacShane: According to the Central Election Commission in Belarus, approximately fifteen international organisations were given accreditation to monitor the 17 October 2004 parliamentary elections. The main organisations were the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and organisations working together under the umbrella of the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS). In its preliminary findings and conclusions, the OSCE/ODIHR stated that the elections "fell significantly short of OSCE commitments for democratic elections". CIS observers concluded that the elections were "conducted in accordance with the norms of existing electoral legislation and were found free, fair, legitimate and transparent."

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the situation in Belarus at the next meeting with his counterparts in Russia.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no meetings planned in the immediate future with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, although they speak regularly on the telephone. The agenda for the next call has not yet been set. We do discuss Belarus regularly in our bilateral contacts with Russia, including in Moscow via our Embassy. Our Ambassador has recently discussed Belarus with both Mr. Lavrov and Igor Ivanov, the Security Council chief.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights violations in the Republic of Belarus.

Denis MacShane: Belarus' record on human rights is poor and represents a continuing obstacle to the development of closer relations between the UK and Belarus. In the past year numerous independent newspapers, NGOs and opposition parties have faced increased harassment and closure, particularly in the run up to the 17 October parliamentary elections. We remain concerned about the situation and, together with our EU partners, regularly raise our concerns with the Belarusian authorities, both bilaterally through our Embassies in Minsk and in multilateral fora including the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has held with officials from the Republic of Belarus in the last 12 months; and what the outcome of those meetings was.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not met with any Belarusian officials in the last 12 months.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Belarus.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds) on 27 October 2004, Official Report, column 1249W.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Minsk in the next 12 months.

Denis MacShane: Current EU policy, based on the 1997 General Affairs Council Conclusions, restricts ministerial level contact between the EU and Belarus. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to visit Minsk in the next 12 months.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the situation in Belarus at the next meeting of the United Nations.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to raise the situation in Belarus at the United Nations. The Government, together with our EU partners, have previously co-sponsored two resolutions at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and will continue to consider further action within the framework of the United Nations.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British Government recognises the legitimacy of the recent elections in Belarus.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the declaration on the conduct of the election and referendum in Belarus issued by the EU on 20 October. We fully support this declaration. We are deeply concerned about the issues raised in the preliminary findings and conclusions of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) International Election Observation Mission (IEOM). We will assess the conclusions of the OSCE IEOM's final report when this is published, and will press Belarus to implement any recommendations.
	The full text of the EU declaration is available on the Presidency's website at http://www.eu2004.nl.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on involvement by Belarus in the illicit drugs trade.

Bill Rammell: We have no evidence to suggest that trafficking groups are using Belarus as a significant route to smuggle drugs to the UK.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has held with the Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not held any meetings with the Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile this year.

Belarus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not received any representations from the Council of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile this year.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when UKvisas will reply to the letter of 7 July from the hon. Member for Aylesbury about the case of Mr. S J of Pakistan, husband of Mrs. S H of Aylesbury (ref. GU100/ 86120/MJG; post 861093); and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: UKvisas replied to the hon. Member today.

Council of Ministers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1451W, on the Council of Ministers, whether he has concluded his further consideration of the matter.

Denis MacShane: I am currently discussing the possibilities with ministerial colleagues.

Cyprus

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage movement towards a settlement in Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: Following the referendum on the UN Secretary General's comprehensive settlement plan in which the Greek Cypriots voted "no" and the Turkish Cypriots "yes", the EU agreed to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. In practice, we are working to reach EU agreement on regulations to enable preferential direct trade between north Cyprus and the rest of the EU, and to disburse the £259 million of aid allocated for the north of the island.
	We support these measures as we believe it is important for the EU to bring Turkish Cypriots closer to Europe, and help to build trade links and reduce the economic gap between the two communities. This will make reunification more likely, easier to consolidate and less costly. Trade will increase trust and lay the foundations for co-operation in a reunified Cyprus. A widening wealth gap and continued economic division will make a solution much more difficult.
	As I told the Greek Cypriot leadership during my recent visit to the island, we understand the concerns that made Greek Cypriots vote "no" to the UN plan and look forward to seeing Greek Cypriot proposals on moving the process forward. If we believe the proposals are reasonable and have a realistic chance of success, we will encourage the UN Secretary-General to re-engage and put all our resources and influence behind finding a solution on the basis of the Annan Plan that is acceptable to all sides. We continue to believe that the Annan Plan offers the only realistic basis for a settlement to the Cyprus problem.

Departmental Events (Funding)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) publications, (c) initiatives, (d) projects and (e) receptions organised by his Department which have received funding from outside commercial bodies since May 1997, broken down by (i) funding body and (ii) amount paid.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not separately record the information requested. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Diego Garcia

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United States military forces have established a store for radioactive waste on Diego Garcia.

Bill Rammell: There is no radioactive waste store on Diego Garcia.

Equatorial Guinea

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government was first informed of the Equatorial Guinea attempted coup plot.

Jack Straw: In late January 2004.

General Affairs and External Relations Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 2–3 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The answer is as follows:
	Outcome of the 2 November 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council
	I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on 2 November in the absence of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. John Grant (UK's permanent representative to the EU) accompanied me. This was a short half-day GAERC, which dealt primarily with the preparation of the European Council held on 5 November 2004.
	Conclusions were agreed on Iraq and Sudan.
	General Affairs Session
	Preparations For The European Council (5 November 2004)
	The Council examined draft conclusions prepared by the Presidency for the European Council. These were finalised prior to the GAERC by officials. The Presidency outlined the main items that the European Council was due to discuss. These were:
	Economic issues—Presentation by Mr. Wim Kok, chairman of a high-level group advising the Commission on the preparation of the mid-term review of the economic reform strategy laid down at Lisbon in March 2000.
	Justice and home affairs—Adoption of a new multi-annual agenda for the EU's area of freedom, security and justice.
	Communicating Europe—The European Council would examine how better to communicate to the public on the EU's work and its relevance to people's daily lives.
	EU enlargement—The President of the Commission would present a number of policy documents regarding Bulgaria. Romania. Croatia and Turkey's applications to join the EU.
	External relations—Conclusions were expected on Iran. Iraq, the Middle East and Sudan. The Conclusions agreed at the GAERC on Iraq and Sudan were forwarded to the Council and attached to a Council Declaration. Draft conclusions for Iran and the Middle East were not discussed at the GAERC. These were discussed in the run-up to the European Council.
	The European Council would also meet for the first time with Mr. Josep Borrell, the new President of the European Parliament.
	External Relations Session
	Preparation Of The Eu-Russia Summit
	The Council was briefed by the Presidency, the Commission and High Representative Javier Solana on preparation of the EU-Russia Summit to be held in The Hague on 11 November.
	The summit, the fourteenth to be held under the EU-Russia Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, is due to address the building of four "common spaces" for the EU and Russia, namely the common economic space, the common space of freedom, security and justice, the common space of external security and the common space of research and education. International and regional issues, such as the Middle East (including Iran and Iraq), terrorism. Moldova and the South Caucasus, are also likely to be discussed. The Presidency noted that the four "spaces" were part of a single package.
	AOB—Somalia
	On the agenda at Italian request, the Council held a brief exchange of views on the situation in Somalia following the election of Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf as President on 10 October and the expected formation of a transitional government. The Presidency reiterated support for the peace process in Somalia and emphasised the EU's willingness to contribute to the country's stabilisation and reconstruction, notably through support for African Union initiatives.
	AOB—African Great Lakes Region
	The Council was briefed by the Belgian Foreign Minister on efforts to bring peace and security to the African Great Lakes region, with particular focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the light of his recent visit in the region.
	AOB—Guinea Bissau
	The Council was briefed by the Portuguese Foreign Minister on recent developments in Guinea-Bissau following unrest on 6 October and on efforts led by the international community, including Portuguese-speaking States, with a view to contributing to a stabilisation of the situation.
	AOB—Belarus
	At the suggestion of the Polish delegation, the Council briefly discussed EU policy with regard to Belarus in the light of irregularities in the parliamentary elections and referendum on 17 October and attacks on opposition leaders and media representatives at a political demonstration in Minsk on 19 October. It will discuss the matter in greater detail at its meeting on 22 November.

Guide to the European Union

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs were incurred in the publication and distribution of the Guide to the European Union.

Denis MacShane: The cost of printing 207,000 copies of the Guide to the EU is approximately £45,000. Distribution to public libraries and individuals is estimated at £6,000. No further decisions on distribution have been taken.

Guide to the European Union

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with (a) opposition parties and (b) the No campaign to ensure that the Guide to the European Union published by his Department presents a balanced assessment of the proposed EU Constitution.

Denis MacShane: None.

Guide to the European Union

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Electoral Commission prior to publication of the Guide to the European Union to ensure compliance with the rules governing referendums.

Denis MacShane: The Guide to the EU is part of the Government's commitment to provide information for the general public on the EU. In line with previous practice, discussions were not held with the Electoral Commission. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is confident that the Guide to the EU meets Government Information and Communication Service guidelines on such publications.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the Accident and Emergency Department at Ashford (Middlesex) hospital was closed and replaced by an emergency department; and what the difference is between the two facilities.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 8 November 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to my response of 25 March 2004, Official Report, columns 1047–48W.

Autism

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to (a) general practitioners and (b) other primary care professionals on working with people with autism spectrum disorders.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not consider it necessary to supplement the training of primary care professionals with additional guidance. The Department, together with the Department for Education and Skills, produced "Autism Spectrum Disorders: Good Practice Guidance" in 2002 and the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services was published on 15 September, 2004.

Brazil Nuts

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Brazil nuts are being withheld from sale due to health concerns; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Brazil nuts are not being withheld from sale in the United Kingdom. The main exporting country for unshelled Brazil nuts, Brazil, has not been exporting this commodity into the European Union since July 2003, when the EU imposed special conditions on these imports to ensure they do not exceed the regulatory limits for aflatoxins.

Cancer Patients/Services

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many suspected cancer patients in the Bury North constituency were seen by an NHS consultant within two weeks of referral in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of suspected cancer patients seen has been collected since 2001. This is shown in the table.
	
		Waiting times for first out-patient appointment following urgent G(D)P referral with suspected cancer
		
			  Quarter National health service trust Patients seen within 14 days Percentage seen within 14 days 
		
		
			 2000–01 4 Oldham NHS Trust 167 93.3 
			 2000–01 4 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 200 99.0 
			 2000–01 4 North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 200 93.9 
			 2000–01 4 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 374 97.1 
			 2001–02 1 Oldham NHS Trust 181 94.8 
			 2001–02 1 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 224 97.8 
			 2001–02 1 North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 242 94.9 
			 2001–02 1 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 345 96.1 
			 2001–02 2 Oldham NHS Trust 162 96.4 
			 2001–02 2 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 227 93.0 
			 2001–02 2 North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 298 90.6 
			 2001–02 2 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 385 99.0 
			 2001–02 3 Oldham NHS Trust 181 98.9 
			 2001–02 3 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 235 99.6 
			 2001–02 3 North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 286 94.7 
			 2001–02 3 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 398 99,5 
			 2001–02 4 Oldham NHS Trust 197 98.5 
			 2001–02 4 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 209 99.5 
			 2001–02 4 North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 302 99.7 
			 2001–02 4 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 450 100.0 
			 2002–03 1 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,430 98.8 
			 2002–03 2 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,480 99.1 
			 2002–03 3 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,650 98.4 
			 2002–03 4 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,380 95.8 
			 2003–04 1 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,428 92.2 
			 2003–04 2 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,348 94.9 
			 2003–04 3 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,552 97.6 
			 2003–04 4 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2,372 97.4 
			 2004–05 1 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,263 98.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health forms QMCW and CWTDB.

Cancer Patients/Services

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the location of specialist cancer services in the Mid-Anglia Cancer Network area.

Stephen Ladyman: Records show that one letter has been received in September 2004.

Care of the Elderly

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with which organisations his Department (a) has discussed and (b) plans to discuss his proposals to improve national standards for the care of elderly people; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: On 27 October 2004, we announced the start of the review of the national minimum standards and the associated legislative framework for adult social care. We intend to involve a range of service user and provider organisations in the process of reviewing the standards and will consult fully on any resulting changes.

Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Agency

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the newly established Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Agency.

Melanie Johnson: The Health Protection Agency's Cheshire and Merseyside Health Protection Agency was established on 1 April 2003 as an integral part of the new Health Protection Agency. It has offices in Moorgate Point in Knowsley, near Liverpool, and within the microbiology laboratory in the Countess of Chester hospital. The unit has 32 staff.
	The unit's catchment area has 2.4 million residents, living in a mix of rural, urban and city areas, including areas of major deprivation. The unit provides the full range of local HPA services and support to the local national health service and other partners, particularly for investigation of reportable cases and outbreaks of infectious disease in community facilities and other settings.
	There are significant connections with other agencies, particularly local authorities, in responding to chemical incidents and investigation of environmental hazards.

Children's Diets

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of studies of the relationships between diet and hyperactivity or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children; whether he has plans for further studies in this area; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency is funding research to look at a possible link between food additives and children's behaviour, for which current evidence is inconclusive. However, there are no plans to look at overall diet and hyperactivity.
	We are committed to tackling children's diet and health issues. Action to address this will be taken forward in the Government's White Paper on improving health.

Choose and Book Initiative

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of offering, by December 2005, a choice of four to five alternative providers to all patients who need surgery;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of offering, by December 2008, the right to choose any healthcare provider which meets the Healthcare Commission's standards, which can provide the care within the price that the NHS will pay, and which can meet the 18 weeks' waiting time target to all patients.

John Hutton: A delivery framework for the implementation of choose and book was published in August 2004. Local health communities are currently reporting on their state of readiness for 2005 and are required to confirm they have the necessary resources.
	Detailed work on arrangements for 2008 is ongoing and will consider the cost implications of implementing the policy.

Choose and Book Initiative

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for implementation of the choose and book initiative in the NHS.

John Hutton: From 2005, patients in the national health service will be offered a choice of hospital to attend. This will be underpinned by the NHS choose and book service. Some 10 million patients a year will have this choice from December 2005.
	The decision when to implement the choose and book service locally will be based on organisational readiness and system compliance. Implementation has been taking place across the country since July 2004 and will continue during 2005.

Combined Heat and Power

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) hospitals and (b) health centres in England utilise combined heat and power.

John Hutton: In 2003–04, 7 per cent. of national health service hospital sites derived energy from combined heat and power plants (CHP). Information is not collected centrally on the number of health centres that use CHP.
	Generally, CHP is most efficient and economically viable when it can be run continuously for long periods (usually in excess of 17 hours per day) and is therefore unlikely to be of significant benefit to buildings that are only used during part of the day.

Deaths after Surgery

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients' deaths occurred within 30 days of surgery in Hull and the East Riding in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is available from the Healthcare Commission's star rating website at
	http://ratings2004.healthcarecommission.org.uk/Reports/Acute TrustDetail.asp?TrustCode=RWA&alternativeReportType=

Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many dentists who were awarded a Dental Care Development Fund grant have subsequently stopped NHS dental treatment for adults;
	(2)  how many applications have been made by dentists in (a) England and (b) East Lancashire for a grant from the Dental Care Development Fund in each year since 2000; what conditions are attached to the grant concerning the dentist's commitment to NHS dentistry; and how many applications were successful.

Rosie Winterton: In the 2000–01 financial year, grants were made to 72 health authorities (HAs), which were furthest from the Government's targets for improving access to national health service dentistry, for extending practices or purchasing new equipment to enable them to treat more patients. Responsibility for administering the scheme was delegated to the HAs with advice that they imposed the following conditions:
	that the practices guaranteed an average level of return of no less than 100 new NHS patients registered per £1,250 granted;
	that the additional capacity was maintained for an agreed period, normally at least three years; and
	that the practice contributed to the project normally at a level around 50 per cent. of the amount granted.

Dentistry

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1959–61W, on dentistry, how many dental practices were shown on the nhs.uk website on 8 September.

Rosie Winterton: The number of general dental service or personal dental service practices in England shown on the nhs.uk website as accepting new national health service patients on 8 September 2004 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Registering children aged 0–18 years for NHS treatment 3,938 
			 Providing occasional NHS treatment to non- registered patients 1,572 
			 Registering charge-exempt adults for NHS treatment 2,968 
			 Registering charge-paying adults for NHS treatment 2,604 
			 Total number of dental practices in England on the 'nhs.uk' website 8,669

Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental technicians had the necessary skills to construct dentures in England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: As dental technician is not yet a registrable profession, there is no official record of their numbers or competencies. We estimate that, since 1997, the number of dental technicians who are capable of manufacturing or contributing to the manufacture of dentures has remained fairly constant at about 9,000. Subject to the approval of an Order to be made under Section 60 of the Health Act 1999, we plan to give the General Dental Council powers to register dental technicians early in 2005.

Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dentists' training dealt with dentures in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Precise information is not available centrally, but I understand from the General Dental Council, which is responsible for the curriculum for dental undergraduate education, that the proportion has reduced. The reasons are that there has been an encouraging reduction in the number of edentulous patients—from 37 per cent. of adults in 1968 to 12 per cent. in 1998—and recognition that most dentists now delegate the manufacture of dentures to dental technicians.

Dermatology

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a first out-patient appointment that is comprised of dermatology referrals; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: At 30 June 2004 the number of patients, waiting over 13 weeks for a dermatology first out-patient appointment was 7 per cent. of the total number of patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment. The national health service is on track to achieve the target of having no patients waiting over 13 weeks for first out-patient appointments by December 2005.

Dermatology

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the numbers of specialists in dermatology;
	(2)  what the vacancy rates for dermatology specialists were in each strategic health authority in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: As at June 2004, there were 425 consultant dermatologists working in the national health service in England. This is an increase of 114, or 37 per cent., since September 1997.
	Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of dermatologists in the registrar group increased by 42, or 37 per cent.
	We are also increasing training capacity within the specialty. Between 2002–03 and 2004–05, central funding has been distributed to support the implementation of 27 additional specialist registrar (SpR) posts in dermatology. All the posts have now been implemented. Trusts have also had the opportunity to create up to 40 locally funded SpR training opportunities and the latest survey suggests 23 are due to be implemented so far.
	The table shows the three-month vacancy rates for consultant dermatologists by strategic health authority (SHA), as at March 2004. The national three-month vacancy rate for dermatology has decreased from 6.1 per cent. in March 2003 to 4.7 per cent. in March 2004. This comes at the same time as increases in the dermatology workforce.
	
		Three month vacancy rate and number for consultants in dermatology by SHA for England: March 2004
		
			  3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy number Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 England 4.7 18 373 427 
			  
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 0.0 0 17 19 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 9.7 1 9 12 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 0.0 0 17 18 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 6.0 1 16 17 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 15.1 2 11 12 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 8.4 1 11 12 
			 Dorset and Somerset (27)— 0 6 7 
			 Essex (27)— 0 7 8 
			 Greater Manchester 10.8 2 17 19 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 0.0 0 12 16 
			 Kent and Medway 19.7 2 8 9 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 0.0 0 12 12 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 4.9 1 20 21 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire (27)— 0 9 9 
			 North Central London 0.0 0 15 17 
			 North East London 0.0 0 15 18 
			 North West London 11.2 2 16 23 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (27)— 1 8 9 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire (27)— 0 9 10 
			 South East London 0.0 0 23 28 
			 South West London (27)— 0 9 10 
			 South West Peninsula 0.0 0 11 11 
			 South Yorkshire 6.5 1 14 16 
			 Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies (28)— 0 0 0 
			 Surrey and Sussex 0.0 0 19 21 
			 Thames Valley 10.9 2 16 22 
			 Trent 0.0 0 16 17 
			 West Midlands South 0.0 0 11 12 
			 West Yorkshire 9.1 2 20 22 
		
	
	(27) Where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is less then ten.
	(28) Where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is zero.
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents).
	2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	3. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.

Eye Tests

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in the Dagenham constituency have had free eye tests since they were introduced.

Stephen Ladyman: Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency, or pensioners are not collected centrally. However the Department does collect statistics on the number of sight tests paid for patients aged 60 and over.
	These data are shown in the table, which shows the number of national health service sight tests paid by Barking and Havering health authority (HA) for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2003 and the primary care trust (PCT), covering Barking and Dagenham for the year ending 31 March 2004.
	
		General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid by Barking and Havering HA for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004
		
			HA/PCT name Number of sight tests for people aged 60 and over (Thousand) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 Barking and Havering 24.9 
			 2000–01 Barking and Havering 29.3 
			 2001–02 Barking and Havering 33.1 
			 2002–03 Barking and Havering 36.1 
			 2003–04 Barking and Dagenham PCT 9.3 
			  Havering PCT 26.0 
			 Total Barking and Havering 35.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999.
	2. PCTs took over responsibilities from HAs in October 2002.
	It should be noted that the number of sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients. Most people do not come back for a sight test within the year, but some patients suffering from medical conditions are advised to have re-examinations sooner.

GP Vacancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the general practitioner vacancy rates were for each primary care trust in England at (a) 31 March 2003, (b) 30 September 2003, (c) 31 March 2004 and (d) 30 September 2004.

John Hutton: The information requested is not available at primary care trust level.
	The estimated three-month general practitioner vacancy rate in England decreased from 3.4 per cent. in March 2003 to 3 per cent. in March 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the (a) Advisory Committee on Medical Devices, (b) Committee of senior officials on public health and (c) Pharmaceutical Committee met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what (i) technical and (ii) financial issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations each Committee produced during that period; what actions were (A) proposed and (B) taken by (1) the EU and (2) the UK Government as a result of each Committee's recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Medical Devices Expert's Group (MDEG) met once during the Greek Presidency. The meeting took place on 7–8 April 2003 in Brussels. A senior official from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) represented the United Kingdom. There were no technical or financial issues raised by the UK representative at the meeting. MDEG is chaired by the EU Commission and composed of representatives from member states, industry, Notified Bodies and the various Standard organisations. It has no decision making powers and accordingly there were no recommendations proposed by it during the Greek Presidency.
	The Committee of Senior Officials on Public Health met during the Greek presidency, on 30 June in Brussels. UK Government experts attended the meeting, at which a wide range of relevant topics was discussed. These included EU enlargement, the status of third country nationals, exchange of information on professionals' fitness to practise, the Tennah-Durez ECJ judgment, implementation of the SLIM Directive, and updates on implementation in member states of directives on mutual recognition of professional qualifications in respect of dentists, doctors, nurses and midwives. Actions flowing from these discussions have been pursued through the appropriate channels.
	The Pharmaceutical Committee met once during the Greek Presidency. The meeting took place on 15 May 2003 in Brussels. The UK is usually represented by senior officials from the Department and the MHRA. There were no technical or financial issues raised by the UK representative at the meeting. The Pharmaceutical Committee is an advisory committee and has no decision-making powers. There were, therefore, no recommendations proposed by the committee during the Greek Presidency.

Hospital Funding

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the (a) brought forward debt at the start of the year, (b) overspending during the year before the provision of any special funding to help balance the books, (c) carried forward debt at the end of the year and (d) amount of special funding provided by the NHS Bank to address the debt was for the Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust in each of the last five financial years;
	(2)  what the projected overspend is for 2004–05 before the deduction of the £13 million special grant for the Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 8 November 2004
	Published information about debt, overspend, projected overspend and special funding for Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals national health service trust is shown in the table.
	At month six, the trust is forecasting a break-even year end position after £13 million special assistance.
	
		
			 Financial year Brought forward Surplus deficit before special assistance Special assistance Carried forward 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,725 -1,613 0 112 
			 2000–01 112 -4,846 0 -4,734 
			 2001–02 -4,734 -1,409 0 -6,143 
			 2002–03 -6,143 -10,828 9,500 -7471 
			 2003–04 -7,471 -18,495 18,500 -7,466 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. NHS Bank funding commenced in 2000–03.
	2. Minus sign represents deficits.

Hospital Funding

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much additional funding was made available to Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust for implementing the new consultants' contracts; and what percentage of the total cost this figure represents.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 8 November 2004
	We do not allocate funding to national health service trusts. NHS trusts, as providers of services, receive the bulk of their revenue funding from primary care trusts (PCTs), via their commissioning arrangements.
	The local delivery planning process ultimately informs the level of funding for provider organisations. The funding for NHS trusts is therefore dependent on the level of services they are able to contract with commissioning PCTs.

Hysterectomy

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of post-hysterectomy treatment, including drug therapy, in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not available centrally.

IT

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of meetings of the board of the national programme for IT in the NHS.

John Hutton: holding answer 8 November 2004
	We have no current plans to do so.
	The board of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) is primarily concerned with regular review of the performance of these private sector organisations. The contracts between the NPfIT and the organisations concerned include legally binding confidentiality undertakings, in line with standard commercial contract terms. Agreement to publish board minutes would, therefore, put the NPfIT in breach of these undertakings.

IT

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken by the National Programme for IT on the views of (a) hospital doctors and nurses, (b) general practitioners and other practice staff and (c) all other NHS staff on the introduction of the new IT system for the NHS.

John Hutton: Engaging clinicians and national health service management in planning and preparation for successful implementation of the national programme has always been, and continues to be, a key priority. As well as the national professional bodies and groups, the national programme team has also consulted closely with individual expert primary and secondary care practitioners, including practising general practitioners. A series of workshops has also been held across the NHS involving clinicians to help inform the information technology development by suppliers.
	In addition, the care record development board, established in July and chaired by Mr. Harry Cayton, the Department's director for patients and the public, has its membership drawn from clinicians as well as representatives of patients and social care. The board brings together patients, public, social and healthcare professionals to provide clinical and patient input into the national programme's work. The work of the board will enable wider consultation and input into the way the NHS care records service is being developed and aims to ensure the NHS maximises the benefits that the new IT has to offer to support improvements in care.
	Arrangements for clinical engagement are being further strengthened by the appointment of clinical leads to represent GPs, hospital doctors, nurses and allied health professionals at national, cluster and local health community level.

IT

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the National Programme for IT is meeting concerns of general practitioners about (a) the change over to the new IT system and (b) the loss of IT systems in which local GP practices have previously invested.

John Hutton: The national programme for information technology (NPfIT) has always made it clear that the best use should and will be made of the existing asset base so long as it continues to provide value and be fit for purpose. General practitioners are being advised that, certainly in the short and medium term, existing clinical systems can continue to be used subject to compliance criteria. This message has been repeated in guidance published by the national programme, aimed at existing systems suppliers. No practice will be expected to move from current systems until the same or greater levels of functionality than GPs currently enjoy are available under the national programme, unless that is part of an agreed strategy or by choice for specific reasons.
	However, in the longer term it may be necessary for some existing systems to be replaced or integrated. At that stage each GP practice will have a choice of more than one system so long as these have been accredited against national standards and can deliver the required functionality. This undertaking is spelt out in guidance agreed jointly with the British Medical Association.
	Individual GP practices will receive funding to upgrade to NPfIT systems through their primary care trusts. Systems provided by NPfIT will be at no cost to GP practices. In addition, the National Programme will cover centrally the cost of supplier-developed training material, including e-training services, and training the trainers in the use of new IT services.

Medicines (Children and Infants)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the frequency of medication errors in the administration of medicines to children.

Rosie Winterton: Because of low reporting rates, the current incidence of medication errors within the national health service is not known. The Government have established the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to collect, collate, review and analyse error reports and produce and disseminate solutions to ensure that we learn from errors and reduce, risk. Medication errors are an early priority for the NPSA, and its reporting and learning system will provide data on their frequency overall, and in children.
	We are committed to making drug treatment for children as safe as possible and have taken a number of steps to achieve this. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer issued guidance for health professionals and NHS organisations in January this year, entitled "Building a safer NHS for patients: improving medication safety." This included a chapter on improving medication in children. The national service framework for children, young people and maternity services, launched in October includes a standard for medicines management in children, with a chapter on safe medication practice.
	Additionally, the Government launched a strategy on medicines for children in August this year, which among other issues highlighted the need for a single source of authoritative information on paediatric prescribing. The first children's British National Formulary will be available during the summer of 2005 and will be published annually thereafter.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Regulator of NHS foundation trusts completed the vetting of the finances of each successful applicant for foundation status.

John Hutton: Monitor (whose statutory name is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts) is an independent corporate body established under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. It is Monitors responsibility to authorise, monitor and regulate national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs).
	In authorising NHSFTs, Monitor must be satisfied that they are legally constituted, financially sustainable, effectively governed and locally representative. These are essential requirements for NHSFTs to be able to operate with sufficient autonomy, to deliver NHS priorities and to become increasingly responsive to local needs.
	The authorisation process is a critical part in this process. Careful assessment at this stage ensures that financially sustainable NHSFTs with responsible management are established which will create a robust system and minimise the need for intervention. I am informed by the chairman of Monitor that full details of the authorisation process are set out in Monitor's publication "Applying for authorisation as an NHS Foundation Trust—A Guide for Applicants" (reference IRG 15/04) which is publicly available on their website at www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk.
	I am further informed by the chairman of Monitor that consideration of each successful applicant for NHSFT status, which included the vetting of their finances, was completed at meetings of Monitor's board as follows:
	
		
			  NHS Foundation Trust Date of board meeting Date of authorisation 
		
		
			 Basildon and Thurrock University  Hospitals 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Bradford Teaching Hospitals 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Homerton University Hospital 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 The Royal Marsden 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Stockport 30 March 2004 1 April 2004 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 City Hospitals Sunderland 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Derby Hospitals 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Gloucestershire Hospitals 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Papworth Hospital 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Queen Victoria Hospital 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 University College London 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
			 University Hospitals Birmingham 28 June 2004 1 July 2004 
		
	
	Minutes of the meetings are publicly available on Monitor's website.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  at which NHS Foundation trusts other than Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Monitor has notified his Department of financial difficulties;
	(2)  when Monitor notified his Department about the financial difficulties at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
	(3)  what information Monitor provides to his Department on a regular basis about the operation of foundation trusts.

John Hutton: Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs), is an independent corporate body established under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. It is therefore Monitor's responsibility to authorise, monitor and regulate NHSFTs.
	I am informed by the chairman of Monitor that the monitoring exercise for the first quarter of the financial year identified that financial performance at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHSFT was significantly behind that forecast at the point of authorisation. At its meeting of 29 September 2004, Monitor's board concluded that formal action under section 23 of the Act (failing NHS foundation trusts) was necessary. Minutes of the meeting are publicly available on Monitor's website at www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk.
	Section 10 of the Act requires Monitor to publish a copy of any notice made under section 23 on the register of NHSFTs, which is publicly available on Monitor's website. This is the first and only occasion, to date, on which Monitor has exercised its powers under section 23 of the Act.
	A close working relationship is required at all levels between Monitor and the Department to ensure that both parties can effectively perform their statutory functions to ensure that the NHS continues to deliver a high and improving quality of service to the public.
	A memorandum of understanding was signed in September 2004, which sets out how this relationship works in practice, while at the same time safeguarding Monitor's independence. It includes an undertaking that Monitor and the Department will keep each other promptly and regularly informed about all developments and issues in which the other party may have an interest, and to ensure that the other party is given adequate warning of, and sufficient information about, any planned public announcements which might be considered to affect the interests of the other party. A copy of the memorandum is available in the Library.
	In keeping with the principles set out in the memorandum of understanding between them, Monitor advised the Department of its board's decision in early October.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many staff with (a) accountancy and (b) similar qualifications work for the Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts;
	(2)  how many of the staff of the Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts previously worked in the NHS.

John Hutton: Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs), is an executive non-departmental public body and has statutory power to employ its own staff.
	I am informed by the chairman of Monitor that it is by design a small organisation of less than 50 people, which has employed a variety of staff on a permanent, fixed-term, secondment and contract basis since its creation in January 2004. Staff engaged in the assessment of applicants for NHSFT status come from a variety of backgrounds, including business, financial analysis, accountancy and the NHS. Although the profile of Monitor's establishment is variable during the present start-up phase, currently, 20 of its staff are qualified accountants and three are qualified lawyers. Nine staff have previously worked in the NHS.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary is of the (a) chair and (b) chief executive of the Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts.

John Hutton: Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts, is an independent corporate body established under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2004. Dr. William Moyes was appointed by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Dr. Reid), as executive chairman of Monitor in December 2003. His salary is £195,000 per annum.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the (a) chairman, (b) chief executive and (c) other staff of the Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts have experience of (i) electoral registration and (ii) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: Before a national health service trust can be authorised as a NHS foundation trust (NHSFT), Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of NHSFTs, must be satisfied that there is a board of directors and a board of governors, formed in accordance with the NHSFT's constitution.
	Elections must be held in accordance with the election rules incorporated in the constitution. Any election, if contested, must be by secret ballot. In 2005, the Department will be issuing regulations on the conduct of elections. In the meantime, we have issued guidance on electoral systems for NHS foundation trusts and a set of detailed model rules for elections.
	I am informed by the chairman of Monitor that all elections for all but two out of the 20 NHSFTs authorised to date were conducted by Electoral Reform Services, the specialist balloting and related services wing of the Electoral Reform Society. In the other two cases, they were conducted by the local authority and Computershare respectively. This information, together with full details of the election results for the 20 NHSFTs authorised to date, is contained in Monitor's publication, "NHS Foundation Trusts—report on elections and membership (August 2004)" [IRREP 01/04], which is available on Monitor's website at www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk. I understand that a copy of this report was sent to the hon. Member when it was first published. Copies are also available in the Library.

NHS Logistics Authority

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by the NHS Logistics Authority in (a) the Hemsworth constituency, (b) the Yorkshire and Humber region and (c) England.

John Hutton: No persons are employed in the Hemsworth constituency. We believe that the NHS Logistics Authority Normanton distribution centre is entirely within the Pontefract and Castleford constituency. There are 283 people employed at the Normanton distribution centre which is the number employed in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The NHS Logistics Authority employs 1483 people in England.

NHS Logistics Authority

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total budget of the NHS Logistics Authority was in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The total budget for the NHS Logistics Authority for the last five years is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Operating costs (£ million) 
		
		
			 2000–01 58.2 
			 2001–02 63.4 
			 2002–03 64.3 
			 2003–04 68.3 
			 2004–05 70.7

NHS Treatment Abroad

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people living in the Greater London area have been treated under the NHS in European hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Government are committed to expanding the national health service more than ever before to reduce waiting times and to give patients greater choice. This includes making use of the spare capacity in overseas health systems. Since January 2002, we have been sending patients to Europe for simple elective surgery procedures such as knee and hip replacements, hernia and cataract procedures. From January 2002 to May 2004, 872 patients were treated in hospitals in France and Belgium.
	Since October 2002, the London patient choice project has been offering choice of hospital at six months for patients across 32 primary care trusts in London. It has been offering patients who would otherwise wait more than six months for elective care the choice of an alternative provider for faster treatment. These providers include hospitals in Belgium. By the end of September 2004, 436 patients from the Greater London area have chosen to receive their hospital treatment in Europe.

Prescription Charges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total cost of administering (a) the system for collecting prescription charges and (b) prescription charge exemptions in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: In 2003–04, the cost in England of administering the sale of prescription pre-payment certificates was around £1.5 million. Other costs, including those for charge collecting activities by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, or those for investigating potential fraud, are not separately identifiable.
	In 2003–04, the cost in England of administering maternity and medical exemptions from prescription charges was around £1.3 million.
	In 2003–04, the cost in England of administering arrangements for certificates on the grounds of low income was around £3.92 million. However, this covers exemption from a range of other health costs and includes the costs of applications from people who are exempt from prescription charges on grounds such as age but are seeking help with other costs.
	In 2003–04, the cost in England of administering the prescription charge refund scheme, for those who are exempt but initially pay the charge, amounted to £70,000.

Radiation Exposure (Eastern Europe)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to take up recommendation nine from chapter four of the final report of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters concerning the availability of data sets from Russia, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine on worker exposure to radiation.

Melanie Johnson: The Department is considering all of the recommendations in both the report of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE) and the advice to Government contained in the 9th report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) and will respond in due course.

Radiographers/Radiologists

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of (a) radiographers and (b) radiologists in the NHS.

John Hutton: Since September 1997, numbers of consultants in clinical radiology have increased by 417 or 29 per cent. Consultant numbers are expected to increase further as a result of the significant investment in training capacity in this speciality.
	Between 2002–03 and 2004–05, 166 additional centrally funded specialist registrar posts have been allocated to clinical radiology. In 2005–06, there are plans in place to create up to 60 further posts for the new clinical radiology academies.
	Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of radiographers employed in the national health service has increased by 1,573 or 13 per cent. Since 1996–97, the number of students entering training to become a radiographer has more than doubled.

Residential Care (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are living in long-term residential care within the Greater London area.

Stephen Ladyman: Information about the number of places in residential care is collected, but information about the number of people in those places is not centrally available.
	In March 2001 there were 47,400 care home places in London for adults aged 18 and over. This includes 29,300 places in residential care homes and 18,100 places in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
	I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.

Skipton Fund

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many recipients of the Skipton Fund have previously been beneficiaries of the Macmillan Fund; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many of those who have received financial compensation from the Skipton Fund, were Scottish residents; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of stage one applications that have been paid by the Skipton Fund is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Paid stage one applicants 
		
		
			 England 1,508 
			 Wales 119 
			 Scotland 270 
			 Northern Ireland 63 
			 Total (29)1,960 
		
	
	(29) Figures as at 22 October 2004.
	The Skipton Fund has indicated that 329 ex-gratia payments were paid to registrants of the Macfarlane Trust.

Smoking

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for how many people who died in the UK in each of the last three years smoking cigarettes was identified as a primary cause.

Melanie Johnson: Information is not available in the form requested. The Health Education Authority 1998 report: "The UK Smoking Epidemic: Deaths in 1995" estimated that in the UK in 1995, smoking caused more than 120,000 deaths of people aged 35 years or more. A copy of this report is available in the Library.

Smoking

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the findings of the Health Development Agency's study into the number of smoking-attributable deaths in the UK each year will be published.

Melanie Johnson: The Health Development Agency's study into the number of smoking-attributable deaths in the United Kingdom each year will be published shortly.

Smoking

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what provision his Department has made to provide help to those who want to quit smoking to access services where they work, where this is different from where they are registered as a health patient; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received regarding barriers to accessing smoking cessation clinics; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has received regarding difficulties in accessing smoking cessation clinics for those who travel to work or work irregular hours; what proposals he has to enable more people to access one-to-one or group support who wish to stop smoking; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Government have not received specific representations regarding difficulties in accessing national health service stop smoking services. NHS stop smoking services are available free across England and are accessible to all smokers who want to stop.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for providing services for people in the workplace. We have issued advice to the NHS covering the circumstances where a stop smoking service might be provided for commuters at their workplace—"Department of Health Stop Smoking Services Quarterly Monitoring Return 2004–05". Copies have been placed in the Library.
	PCTs have developed local strategies to reach smokers in their locality and, where appropriate, have made links with community groups to provide services. PCTs are encouraged to offer services that are accessible and flexible and meet the needs of the smoker. The Government will continue to seek ways to enhance and improve NHS stop smoking services.

Tobacco Advertising

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received in the last 12 months supporting a ban on tobacco advertising; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 came into force on 14 February 2003. The Act bans press, billboard and magazine advertising of tobacco products and the promotion of smoking through free distribution of tobacco products, coupons and mailshots in the United Kingdom.
	A public consultation on the Act was held between August and October 2002.

Trainee Midwives

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trainee midwives there are in the NHS.

John Hutton: National health service funded training is provided by higher education institutions, trainee midwives are therefore not employed directly by the NHS.
	In 2003–04, 2,226 students entered training to become a midwife, which is an increase of 35 per cent. since 1996–97.

Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients admitted to Accident and Emergency in Hull and the East Riding in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 waited for more than 12 hours before being treated or transferred to a ward.

Melanie Johnson: The NHS Plan set a target to reduce the maximum wait in accident and emergency (A&E) from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge to four hours by 2004. The Department collects data against this target. This information is shown in the table.
	
		Total time spent in A&E Departments, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
		
			 Year Quarter Total attendances at major A&E Percentage of patients who spent less than four hours in A&E 
		
		
			 2004–05 1 29,180 90.3 
			 
			 2003–04 4 26,131 91.5 
			  3 25,664 92.4 
			  2 27,501 89.7 
			  1 26,147 91.4 
			 
			 2002–03 4 23,919 84.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Activity Statistics, Department of Health

Walk-in Centres

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding Southport Primary Care Trust and Halton Primary Care Trust will receive to establish new walk-in centres.

John Hutton: A total of £1.6 million is being allocated by the Department in 2004–05 and 2005–06 to Southport and Formby Primary Care Trust and Halton Primary Care Trust towards the costs of establishing two new national health service walk-in centres.

TREASURY

Accountancy Standards

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) KPMG, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) Deloitte regarding compliance with the international accountancy guidelines contained within the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Stephen Timms: None, so far as I am aware.

Bowel Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths due to bowel cancer have occurred in England in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 9 November 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many deaths due to bowel cancer have occurred in England in the last five years. I am replying in his absence. (196444)
	The most recent available figures are for the year 2003. The number of deaths from bowel cancer (colorectal cancer) that occurred in the years 1999 to 2003 are given in the table.
	
		Number of deaths from bowel cancer1,2 in England, 1999–2003
		
			  Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1999 13,613 
			 2000 13,223 
			 2001 13,182 
			 2002 13,387 
			 2003 13,079 
		
	
	(30) For deaths between 1999 and 2000, bowel cancer was identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 153–154. For deaths between 2001 and 2003, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C18-C21 were used.
	(31) The introduction of ICD-10 for coding cause of death in 2001 resulted in the number of deaths coded as cancer at all ages increasing by 2.5 per cent. for males and 2.2 per cent. for females. For this reason, figures are not completely comparable with those for years before this date and should therefore be interpreted with caution. A description of the effects of the change in classification in 2001 on deaths from cancer was published in Health Statistics Quarterly in May 2002.*
	* Office for National Statistics. Results of the ICD-10 bridge coding study, England and Wales, 1999. Health Statistics Quarterly 14 (2002), 75–83.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Child Benefits

Harold Best: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timetable he has set for the extension of (a) child benefit and (b) child tax credit to the parents of children aged 16 to 19 years undertaking unwaged training.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to ensuring that all young people reach the age of 19 ready for higher education or skilled employment. In "Supporting young people to achieve", published alongside Budget 2004, we consulted on proposals for the reform of financial support for 16 to 19-year-olds, including the extension of child benefit and child tax credit to the parents and carers of unwaged trainees, in order to support young people's choices between education and unwaged training.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 153W, on correspondence, if he will instruct the director, Inland Revenue, Tax Credit Office to reply personally to letters from hon. Members on behalf of constituents; and what percentage of substantive replies sent to hon. Members in the last 12 months were sent within 14 days.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 8 November 2004
	It would not be practical for the director of the Tax Credit Office (TCO) to reply personally to all of the correspondence he receives. The director remains responsible for each reply concerning his department.
	The TCO aim to reply to 80 per cent. of letters from hon. Members within 15 working days. In the seven months from 1 April 2004 to 31 October 2004, TCO replied to around 85 per cent. of letters from hon. Members within 15 working days.

Departmental Properties

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, stating (A) for each and (B) in aggregate, the area; and what the aggregate rental value was in each year;
	(2)  if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) their agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, showing (A) for each and (B) in aggregate the area; and what in aggregate the annual rental value was.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The following table setting out, by Department and Agency, the information available.
	
		
			 Department/Property 1997 Area sqm 1997 Rental Value (£000) 2004 Area sqm 2004 Rental value(£000) 
		
		
			 DMO: 
			 Eastcheap Court London Not applicable Not applicable 1,311 740 
			 DMO Total Nil Nil 1,311 740 
			  
			 Royal Mint: 
			 Llantrisant 38,905 Not able to provide(32) 46,233 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Grosvenor Gardens London 942 500 Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Royal Mint Total 39,847 Not able to provide(32) (+500) 46,233 Not able to provide(32) 
			  
			 GAD: 
			 22 Kingsway London 2,193 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Furnival Street London Not applicable Not applicable 1,846 646 
			 GAD Total 2,193 Not able to provide(32) 1,846 646 
			  
			 OGC: 
			 Trevelyan House London Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 5,411 1,922 
			 Rosebery Court Norwich Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 6,574 819 
			 Alexandra House Leeds Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 573 92.5 
			 George Road Birmingham Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 765 95.7 
			 Thistle Street Edinburgh Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 1,043 162.8 
			 OGC Total Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 14,366 3,092 
			  
			 Buying, solutions: 
			 Royal Liver Building Liverpool Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 2,385 262.6 
			 Buying.solutions Total Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 2,385 262.6 
			  
			 NS&I: 
			 Preston Road Blackpool 17,007 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Milburngate House Durham 30,011 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Cowglen Glasgow 50,018 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Charles House London 3,717 Not able to provide(32) 3,717 600 
			 NS&I Total 10,0753 Not able to provide(32) 3,717 600 
			  
			 HMT: 
			 Treasury Chambers London 23,495 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Allington Towers London 5,500 Not able to provide(32) Not applicable Not applicable 
			 Horse Guards Parade London Not applicable Not applicable 22,215 Not able to provide(32) 
			 HMT Total 28,995 Not able to provide(32) 22,215 Not able to provide(32) 
			 ONS: 
			 Bessborough Street London 7,071 Not able to provide(32) 7,071 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Drummond Gate London 10,220 Not able to provide(32) 10,220 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Trafalgar Road Southport 9,584 Not able to provide(32) 9,584 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Somerford Road Christchurch 12,027 Not able to provide(32) 12,027 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Segensworth Road Fareham 19,359 Not able to provide(32) 19,359 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Cardiff Road Newport 20,480 Not able to provide(32) 20,480 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Annex, Cardiff Road Newport 993 Not able to provide(32) 993 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Myddleton Street London 4,228 Not able to provide(32) 4,228 Not able to provide(32) 
			 Barnes Wallace Road Fareham 1,456 Not able to provide(32) 1,456 Not able to provide(32) 
			 East Lane house Runcom 2,187 Not able to provide(32) 2,187 Not able to provide(32) 
			 ONS Total 87,605 Not able to provide(32) 87,605 Not able to provide(32) 
			  
			 IR/VO/HM CE(33): 
			 IR/VO/HMCE Total Not able to provide(32) Not able to provide(32) 1,800,000 (estimate) Not able to provide(32) 
		
	
	(32) This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	(33) Inland Revenue/Valuation Office/HM Customs and Excise have not been able to provide areas or rental values for individual properties as the information is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost. Lists of locations of properties have been provided in attached annexes 1–5.

Employment Rates

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the employment rate was in (a) Barnsley East and Mexborough, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) England in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jeff Ennis, dated 9 November 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. (196480)
	The attached table gives the available percentages of people in employment resident in the Barnsley East and Mexborough Parliamentary Constituency, in South Yorkshire, in Yorkshire and the Humber and in England for the twelve month periods ending February of 1997 and 2003. More recent data are not yet available.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Working age(34) people in employment—12 months ending in February 1997 and 2003 -- Percentage(35)
		
			  1997 2003 
		
		
			 Barnsley East and Mexborough  (Parliamentary Constituency) 59.5 64.8 
			 South Yorkshire 65.2 72.9 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 71.1 75.7 
			 England 69.3 74.5 
		
	
	(34) Working age refers to men 16–64 and women 16–59.
	(35) The percentage of all people of working age who are in employment.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Incomes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) women and (b) men in the UK last year earned above (i) £25,000, (ii) £50,000, (iii) £75,000, (iv) £100,000 and (v) £150,000.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to table 3.3 "Distribution of total income before and after tax by gender" on the Inland Revenue website http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income distribution/table3 3 september04.xls.

Tax Credits

John Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1661W, on tax credit, if he will investigate the handling of the tax credit case of a constituent of Onslow Crescent in Solihull whose name has been communicated to him.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 8 November 2004
	It would not be appropriate for me to discuss publicly the cases of individual customers. However, the Inland Revenue has made a thorough investigation of your constituent's case and will reply to the hon. Member shortly.

Tax Credits

Bill Tynan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions are taking place with the IT contractors to resolve problems with tax credits.

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) legal and (b) other action his Department has taken against EDS in relation to the introduction of new tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 1 November 2004
	The Inland Revenue and EDS are trying to reach agreement without recourse to formal, legal processes and have engaged in a process of negotiation supported by legal and other experts on both sides, with an independent suitably qualified neutral adviser. While discussions between the Inland Revenue and EDS are still under way it is inappropriate for me to say any more at this stage.

Tax Credits

Paul Tyler: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the staff of the Inland Revenue dealing with working tax credit and child tax credit have access to the general Inland Revenue computer system in order to (a) confirm the income stated on credit applications, (b) avoid errors and (c) combat fraud.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 9 November 2004
	Tax credits staff can access other Inland Revenue computer systems. The tax credit computer system uses other Departmental systems to check and verify information given on tax credit claim forms. Depending on circumstances, income figures given by claimants and used in calculations may be validated against other income data held by Inland Revenue. Every step is taken to use all the information held by the Department to prevent errors and combat fraud.

Tax Credits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single women have benefited from (a) the child tax credit and (b) working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers of in-work single women benefiting up to April 2004 are shown at Table 3.1 of the various issues of "Child and Working Tax Credits. Quarterly Statistics".
	Table 2.3 of each issue shows broad estimates of the number of not-in-work single adults with children benefiting from tax credits, most of whom are women. This includes all single adults with children receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance.
	The documents are on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

Tax Credits

Anne Begg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of those estimated overpayments of the new tax credits as reported in Figure 6 of the Inland Revenue's Annual Report and Accounts (a) written off and (b) remaining to be recouped represents (i) recipients of the family element of the child tax credit alone, (ii) recipients of any additional elements of the child tax credit, beyond the family element, (iii) recipients of the child element of the child tax credit (with or without additional elements), (iv) recipients of the working tax credit and (v) recipients of the child care element of the working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to break down the overpayments referred to so as to attribute them to different elements in the tax credits awards

Tax Credits

Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recovery policy regarding overpayment of tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits.

Tax Credits

John Denham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of working tax credit are being paid manually; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 4 November 2004
	The number of interim payments made during 2003–04, and the reasons for these payments, are explained at paragraph 2.14 of the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General attached to the Inland Revenue Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2004.
	Most such payments are one-off, and any future payment will only be made following a review of the case. Around 7,000 families (about one seventh of one per cent. of the tax credits total caseload) are currently being paid manually on a regular basis for technical reasons.

VAT on Fuel

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money his Department received in VAT on fuel in each of the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Customs and Excise do not collect data on VAT from individual goods and services.

Working Age Statistics

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total working age population was aged 16 to 34 years in each year since 1979; and what the rate of inflation was in each year.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 9 November 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what percentage of the total working age population was aged 16 to 34 years in each year since 1979, and what the rate of inflation was in each of those years. (196507)
	Table 1 shows the annual percentage of persons that were aged 16 to 34 as part of the total working age population (ages 16–64 for males, 16–59 for females) in England and Wales for each year from mid-1979 to mid-2003.
	Table 2 shows the annual rate of UK inflation over the period concerned.
	
		Table 1: Proportion of persons aged 16–34 as a percentage of total working age1 population in 1979–2003 in England and Wales
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1979 46.8 
			 1980 47.2 
			 1981 47.5 
			 1982 47.0 
			 1983 46.7 
			 1984 46.6 
			 1985 46.7 
			 1986 46.8 
			 1987 47.0 
			 1988 46.9 
			 1989 46.8 
			 1990 46.7 
			 1991 46.4 
			 1992 46.0 
			 1993 45.4 
			 1994 44.9 
			 1995 44.4 
			 1996 43.9 
			 1997 43.4 
			 1998 42.7 
			 1999 42.1 
			 2000 41.6 
			 2001 41.1 
			 2002 40.7 
			 2003 40.4 
		
	
	(36) Working age is defined as 16 to 59 years old for females and 16 to 64 years old for males.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.
	
		Table 2: Annual average rate of RPI inflation, 1979–2003
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1979 13.4 
			 1980 18.0 
			 1981 11.9 
			 1982 8.6 
			 1983 4.6 
			 1984 5.0 
			 1985 6.1 
			 1986 3.4 
			 1987 4.2 
			 1988 4.9 
			 1989 7.8 
			 1990 9.5 
			 1991 5.9 
			 1992 3.7 
			 1993 1.6 
			 1994 2.4 
			 1995 3.5 
			 1996 2.4 
			 1997 3.1 
			 1998 3.4 
			 1999 1.5 
			 2000 3.0 
			 2001 1.8 
			 2002 1.7 
			 2003 2.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Sports Boards

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money the Sports Council distributed to Northern Ireland sports boards in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

Angela Smith: The total exchequer and lottery funding distributed by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to sporting bodies, (including governing bodies and sports clubs) in the financial years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 is as follows:
	
		£
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Exchequer 3,545,000 3,794,000 4,752,000 
			 Lottery 3,405,223 3,595,894 3,211,916

Blood Donation

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the regulations in Northern Ireland which prevent wheelchair users from being eligible to donate blood through the Blood Donation Service.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service's (NIBTS) policies and procedures for selection of blood donors are based on national guidelines produced and agreed by the four United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services. NIBTS policy and practice for wheelchair users is consistent with these guidelines.
	Any donor may suffer adverse reactions to blood donation, which on occasions can be quite severe. Such reactions must be dealt with on a proper blood donation couch (not a wheelchair) so that they can be addressed safely. Donors must therefore not donate blood in their wheelchair, and be able to climb on and off the donation couch. If the underlying cause of disability in the case of a wheelchair user, or others, is not a contraindication, blood donation may be acceptable. However, certain causes of disability may preclude individuals from donating for reasons of safety to the recipient as well as the donor. Health and safety issues for staff normally preclude donors being physically lifted onto a donor couch. NIBTS provides wheelchair access at all its fixed (permanent) donation venues including the purpose designed BloodMobile and also at the vast majority of mobile donation sessions throughout the province.

Blood Donation

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what review he has carried out of the operation of the regulations in Northern Ireland which prevent permanent wheelchair users from donating blood; and what plans he has to amend them.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service operates under the United Kingdom guidelines produced and agreed by the four national Blood Transfusion Services. The Joint Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Service and the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control is responsible for the guidelines. JPAC receives professional advice from the standing advisory committees that form part of its structure. The criteria are reviewed regularly and users of the guidelines must ensure that they have the latest version and that recent changes (usually within three months) have been implemented by the respective national service There are no plans to amend the guidelines locally in relation to wheelchair users.

Breast Cancer

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of breast cancer have been recorded in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: The following table details the numbers of incidences of breast cancer since 1997.
	
		
			  Year of diagnosis 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Breast cancer 
			 Northern Ireland 862 992 955 972 927 952 
			 Belfast 138 165 160 183 158 168 
			 North Belfast 42 52 50 62 48 49 
			 Breast cancer females only 
			 Northern Ireland 860 916 947 966 918 944 
			 Belfast 138 162 157 183 154 168 
			 North Belfast 42 52 49 62 46 49 
		
	
	Note:
	This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.

Breast Cancer

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died of breast cancer in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: The following table gives the number of registered breast cancer deaths (a) of Belfast, North parliamentary constituency residents, (b) of Belfast local government district residents and (c) in Northern Ireland for each year between 1997 and 2003.
	
		Number of breast cancer deaths by registration year and area
		
			  Area 
			 Registration year Belfast, North parliamentary constituency Belfast local government district Northern Ireland 
		
		
			 1997 13 58 267 
			 1998 17 54 299 
			 1999 18 54 286 
			 2000 17 48 289 
			 2001 16 60 316 
			 2002 18 54 278 
			 2003(37) 18 57 291 
		
	
	(37) Data for 2003 are provisional

British/Irish Sign Languages

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the final report of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure working group on British and Irish Sign Languages will be published; and what the proposed timescale is for implementation of the recommendations of that report.

Angela Smith: A Sign Language Partnership Group, comprising representatives of the Deaf Community in Northern Ireland and departmental officials, is addressing a number of key issues regarding the provision of tutors and interpreters, raising awareness, and best practice guidance. The Group's proposals are expected to be submitted to Ministers by the end of the year. It is anticipated that publication of the proposals and implementation will commence early next year.

Bullying

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the financial cost resulting from bullying in Northern Ireland's (a) schools and (b) workplaces in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: The information sought in respect of schools is not available and could be collected only with considerable difficulty and at disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Employment and Learning does not make estimates in relation to the financial costs resulting from bullying in workplaces.
	The Office of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal cannot specify the costs of bullying to Northern Ireland workplaces. While bullying may form part of an applicant's complaint to a tribunal there is no specific jurisdiction relating to bullying. Any award made by a tribunal relates to the jurisdiction specified in the complaint and an award made will be determined within the parameters set out in the relevant legislation.

Cancer Treatment

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of cancer have been recorded in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
	
		All cancers
		
			  Year of diagnosis 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 8,533 8,665 8,645 8,733 8,632 8,923 
			 Belfast 1,645 1,691 1,624 1,654 1,506 1,604 
			 North Belfast 577 568 551 569 516 538 
		
	
	Note:
	Non-malignant skin cancers have been included in this table.
	This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.

Child Support Agency

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to tackle the backlog of cases in the Child Support Agency in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: The current backlog of applications in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency is due to cases that cannot be progressed due to system defects within the new computer system. All of the defects have been logged with the service provider, Electronic Data Systems Limited (EDS). These cases can only be progressed once EDS have resolved the incident and freed up the case.
	EDS, along with the Great Britain Child Support Agency, have implemented a recovery plan to address problems with the computer system and cases are progressively being released. The Northern Ireland Child Support Agency is part of this overall recovery plan.
	Latest management information shows that since the end of June 2004 the weekly number of cases assessed has risen by 30 per cent.

Civil Service

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in the re-tendering exercise to put in place electronic document and record management systems throughout the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Ian Pearson: On 27 April 2004 the NICS (through its Central Procurement Directorate) established a Framework Agreement for the provision of EDRM products under the Negotiated Procedure of the Public Contracts (Services) Regulations 1993 (as amended). The Framework Agreement is available for use to the NICS and the wider NI public sector. A secondary competition was applied under the Framework Agreement to select an EDRM product for piloting in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (contract awarded on 17 September 2004). Depending upon the evaluation of the pilots, this product may be used across the NICS; however no commitment to do so has been made.

Civil Service

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been to date of the tendering and re-tendering exercises by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to put in place electronic document and record management systems throughout the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Ian Pearson: The total apportioned project costs (including staff time, travel and subsistence and consultancy) to establish the EDRMS category of the Framework Agreement and conduct secondary competition for selection of the EDRMS product is £207,000.

Civil Service

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Civil Service jobs have been relocated from the Greater Belfast area to East Londonderry constituency in the last five years.

Ian Pearson: There have been no Civil Service jobs relocated from the Greater Belfast area to East Londonderry in the last five years (1 April 1999 to 31 March 2004).

Cory Collusion Inquiry

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his oral answer of 1 April 2004, Official Report, columns 1760–61, on the Cory Collusion Inquiry, what the terms of reference will be for the public inquiry into the Finucane case.

Paul Murphy: The inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane is to be held on the basis of new legislation, which is to be introduced shortly. I cannot pre-empt the decision of Parliament on the terms of this legislation or on any matter flowing from it.

Dentistry

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of three to five year olds in Northern Ireland are registered with a general dental practitioner.

Angela Smith: 60 per cent. of three to five year olds in Northern Ireland are registered with an NHS general dental practitioner. Figures are not available for persons who may be solely registered for private treatment.

Dentistry

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of two year olds in Northern Ireland are registered with a general dental practitioner.

Angela Smith: 41 per cent. of two year olds in Northern Ireland are currently registered with an NHS general dental practitioner. Figures are not available for persons who may be solely registered for private treatment.

Department of Education Budget

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the budget for the Department of Education has remained unspent in each year from 2000 to date.

Barry Gardiner: The proportion of the Department of Education budget unspent in each of the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 is as follows:
	
		
			  Unspent (percentage) 
		
		
			 2000–01 1.4 
			 2001–02 3.4 
			 2002–03 2.4 
			 2003–04(38) 3.3 
		
	
	(38) Provisional
	Under approved end-year flexibility arrangements, sums unspent on capital investment, executive programme funds and, from 2001–02, Education and Library Board resources are carried forward for use in a subsequent year and are thus not "lost" to Education. Carry over relates mainly to (a) Education and Library Board resources, principally to facilitate the operation, under Local Management of Schools (LMS) arrangements, of schools' delegated budgets and (b) capital investment, in particular to take account of the rephasing of expenditure on existing projects.

Departmental IT

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the Department's (a) implemented and (b) planned computer systems use open source software; and what plans are in place to raise this level.

Paul Murphy: There is minimal use of Open Source Software (OSS) among the Northern Ireland Departments.
	To date, only the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Department of Finance and Personnel Business Development Service operate a very limited open source system which comprises products such as Linux, Apache and MYSQL.
	There are no immediate plans to increase usage of OSS throughout the Northern Ireland Departments at present. However, the possible future use of Open Source will be considered as part of the forthcoming ICT Strategy for the Northern Ireland Civil Service which is to be commissioned early in 2005.

Disabled Staff

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the staff in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities.

Ian Pearson: Of those staff in the eleven departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office who provided information on their disability status, the percentage who declared they had a disability, was as follows:
	(a) 4.9 per cent. at 1 April 2002; and
	(b) 4.7 per cent. at 1 April 2003.

Down's Syndrome

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the provision of education for (a) adults and (b) children with Down's Syndrome in Northern Ireland.

Barry Gardiner: Children with Down's Syndrome have a range of educational ability. Under the existing legislation, children's special educational needs, including the needs of those with Down's Syndrome, are assessed by the Education and Library Boards and met on an individual basis. Provision may be made in special schools, special units attached to mainstream schools or in mainstream classes themselves. It may also consist of home tuition, hospital tuition or pre-school support. Boards also operate specialist outreach services including support for children with literacy problems and if appropriate, children with Down's Syndrome avail of these services.
	The Department for Employment and Learning has put in place a range of initiatives and funding streams designed to promote access to post 16 provision by students with disabilities including those with Down's Syndrome. These include the publication of a good practice guide; support for staff development activities for senior management, and financial assistance towards the costs of technical or carer support for learners.

Down's Syndrome

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children with Down's Syndrome in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland were educated in (a) mainstream and (b) special schools in each of the past five years.

Barry Gardiner: The North Eastern and Southern Education and Library Boards cannot provide this information as it is gathered according to the special educational needs, e.g. Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD) or Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD), and not by the name of the specific condition.
	The Belfast, South Eastern and Western Education and Library Boards can only provide current figures for children with Down's Syndrome and this information is not available within the time scale. I will write to the hon. Lady again as soon as it is available.
	The Education and Library Boards are currently working on a five Board Special Educational Needs Management Information System which in future years will gather statistical information on a wider range of special educational needs than is currently available. It is hoped to introduce this system in 2005.

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to combat drug and alcohol abuse in Northern Ireland in the last three years.

Angela Smith: In May 2001 the Northern Ireland Executive endorsed the Joint Implementation Model to carry forward the collective aims of the Drugs and Alcohol Strategies to reduce the level of drug and alcohol-related harm in Northern Ireland.
	Since then a regional implementation structure has been put in place to ensure that action is driven forward across a wide number of fronts. There are currently 305 regional and local projects funded through the Northern Ireland Drugs and Alcohol Campaign. These cover the fields of education and prevention, treatment, research and criminal justice across the statutory and community sectors.
	A review of the campaign and the strategies and structures that support it commenced in 2004. This will report in March 2005, after which a new strategic direction will be developed to start in April 2006.

Education and Library Boards

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what weight he gives to experience of and skills in financial management when considering candidates for appointment to education and library boards. (195513)
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Barry Gardiner: Internal appointments to education and library boards are, with the exception of appointments at chief executive and chief librarian level which must be approved by the relevant Department, a matter for individual boards and the level of qualifications and experience sought varies from post to post.
	Public appointments to boards are made in accordance with the Education and Libraries Order 1986 which provides for nominations to be made by the local councils that fall within the board's boundaries, as well as by transferors of schools and the trustees of maintained schools. 35 per cent. of members are appointed through the open public appointments process and the criteria for the selection of these candidates take account of the need for the membership to include a balance of skills and background. Selection of these members is on merit and in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Financial Planning

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assumptions he has made for the purposes of financial planning about the expected revenue of each of the next three years from (a) business rates and (b) domestic rates.

Ian Pearson: The forecast revenue from the regional rate for the years 2005–06 to 2007–08 is £251.0 million/£268.7 million/£287.1 million for the non-domestic sector, and £205.9 million/£229.8 million/£249.2 million for the domestic sector. These projections have been included in the proposals presented in the Draft Priorities and Budget 2005–08 document, launched for public consultation on 12 October 2004.

Free Health Care

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) Republic of Ireland citizens, (b) other EU nationals and (c) non-EU nationals have received free health care in private healthcare units and residential homes in Northern Ireland in the last five years, broken down by health board.

Angela Smith: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Free Health Care

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated cost to the Exchequer is of (a) Republic of Ireland citizens, (b) other EU nationals and (c) non-EU nationals receiving free healthcare in Northern Ireland's private healthcare units and residential homes in the last five years, broken down by health board.

Angela Smith: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Greencastle-Magilligan Ferry

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has to assist in the upgrading of facilities for tourist traffic using the Greencastle-Magilligan Ferry.

Barry Gardiner: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) itself has no direct plans to assist with the upgrading of facilities for tourist traffic as this is the responsibility of Department of Regional Development (DRD) Roads Service and the local council.
	NITB does however consider the Greencastle-Magilligan Ferry as an important tourist link between Co. Donegal and Co. Londonderry. Magilligan lies within the area identified in the Ministerial Causeway and Glens Tourism Masterplan 2004–13 which NITB is currently assisting to implement. Two actions have been identified in the associated Action Plan that may have a direct effect on facilities for tourist traffic in the Magilligan area:
	Upgrade existing and provide new coach parks to allow coach visitors access to key attractive settlements and their services.
	Gateway towns and villages programme—enhancement programme for gateways e.g. Larne, Bally castle and Magilligan.
	NITB is also progressing the identification and development of a tourist trail along the A2 coastal route. It is anticipated that the trail will include Magilligan along the route.
	With regard to road infrastructure improvements, the DRD's Roads Service has advised that planning approval for the ferry was given on the basis that a number of infrastructure improvements were carried out along Point Road, which runs between the Seacoast Road and the ferry terminal. These improvements included the localised widening of the road at a number of locations, and the resurfacing of the road. This work was carried out by the applicant, Limavady borough council.
	Discussions are currently on-going with Limavady borough council with a view to providing directional/information signage for the ferry. Signage being considered includes the use of variable message signs on Point Road, which would provide information for ferry passengers, similar to that being used at the Strangford Ferry.

Health and Social Services

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) days and (b) days per full-time equivalent employee were lost through staff sickness in each of the last four financial years in each (i) health and social services board and (ii) health and social services trust; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Table 1:Days of sick absence
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 HSS Boards: 
			 Eastern 2,013.1 2,163.2 2,418.2 2,540.8 
			 Northern 1,218.5 1,935 1,439.5 1,896.5 
			 Southern 1,280.7 1,095.2 1,682.8 1,449.2 
			 Western 720 729 735 842 
			 HSS Trusts: 
			 Altnagelvin 23,963.90 27,430.80 28,088.70 23,993.10 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 27,044.3 23,053.0 22,622.8 24,700.2 
			 Belfast City 40,408.4 42,276.7 47,393.0 50,937.4 
			 Causeway 31,885.4 38,148.1 44,755.8 41,848.5 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital 22,331.6 24,920.9 23,900.4 22,703.5 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 15,176 15,691 15,871 16,428 
			 Down Lisburn 44,708 50,137 48,069 50,475 
			 Foyle n/a 25,024.9 28,425.5 30,794.5 
			 Greenpark 18,351.60 17,946.70 18,424.60 3,983.80 
			 Homefirst 51,502 57,013.3 60,954.80 55,561.7 
			 Mater 15,327 12,560 16,309 15,790 
			 Newry and Mourne 20,909.8 23,119.2 25,023.2 25,970.7 
			 North and West Belfast 42,444 46,425 50,610 51,454 
			 NI Ambulance 18,905 17,232 19,350 15,346 
			 Royal 73,290 75,255 80,364 87,753 
			 South and East Belfast 38,735.4 40,241.9 37,765.1 44,705.7 
			 Sperrin Lakeland n/a 45,870.5 48,413 39,100 
			 Ulster 47,505.1 55,064.1 59,862.7 60,057.3 
			 United 39,070 40,204 45,656 44,183 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable
	
		Table 2: Days of sick absence per full-time equivalent employee
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 HSS Boards: 
			 Eastern 8.00 8.22 7.3 7.45 
			 Northern 5.13 7.95 4.99 6.2 
			 Southern 6.00 4.87 6.97 5.3 
			 Western 4.94 4.91 3.88 3.80 
			 HSS Trusts: 
			 Altnagelvin 10.03 11.14 10.89 8.86 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 13.64 14.05 13.56 13.08 
			 Belfast City 9.75 9.67 10.38 10.64 
			 Causeway 13 14 15 13 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital 7.75 9.57 8.84 8.21 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 14.5 14.7 14.5 13.1 
			 Down Lisburn 13.4 14.6 13.6 13.8 
			 Foyle n/a 14.96 15.29 16.04 
			 Greenpark 14.76 14.77 14.51 3.41 
			 Homefirst 13.2 15.0 15.5 13.3 
			 Mater 18.11 15.12 18.34 15.78 
			 Newry and Mourne 10.55 11.85 12.45 12.25 
			 North and West Belfast 15.78 16.73 17.54 17.42 
			 NI Ambulance 23.5 21.3 22.8 16.9 
			 Royal 10.94 11 11.7 13 
			 South and East Belfast 13 14 13 15 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 18.6 18.3 18.8 13.4 
			 Ulster 9.98 11.4 11.97 11.58 
			 United 11 11 12 11 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	The Department keeps absenteeism under careful review. Targets have been set for Trusts to reduce their levels of sickness absence, and the outcome of this is being monitored.

Hospital Waiting Times

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) each health and social services board area and (c) each health and social services trust were waiting more than 18 months for hospital inpatient or day treatment in (i) June 2002 and (ii) June of each year since; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The most recent published waiting list data available shows the position at 30 June 2004. Data for quarters ending 30 June from 2000 to 2004 are as follows:
	
		(i) Northern Ireland: Number of people waiting more than18 months for in-patient admission to hospital 1
		
			 Quarter ending 30 June Number 
		
		
			 2000 5,916 
			 2001 6,877 
			 2002 8,864 
			 2003 6,655 
			 2004 3,230 
		
	
	(39) Includes normal in-patients and day cases
	
		(ii) Provider(40) health and social services board area: Number of people waiting more than 18 months for in-patient admission to hospital 2
		
			  Quarter ending 30 June 
			 Health board 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Eastern 4,790 5,380 6,214 4,455 2,302 
			 Northern 280 425 754 820 178 
			 Southern 810 1,021 1,859 1,304 715 
			 Western 36 51 37 76 35 
		
	
	(40) Health board where the patient will be receiving treatment
	(41) includes normal in-patients and day cases
	
		(iii) Health and social services trust: Number of people waiting more than 18 months for in-patient admission to hospital 1
		
			  Quarter ending 30 June 
			 Trust 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Mater Infirmorum 0 81 71 28 14 
			 Belfast City 1,509 1,681 1,842 861 708 
			 Royal Group 1,429 1,757 2,196 1,755 1,045 
			 Green Park 948 1,000 1,130 845 147 
			 UC and HT 862 852 965 953 386 
			 Down Lisburn 42 9 10 13 2 
			 United 167 226 424 428 177 
			 Causeway 113 199 330 392 1 
			 Craigavon Group 794 990 1,750 1,230 703 
			 Newry and Mourne 16 31 109 74 12 
			 Altnagelvin 32 35 33 72 35 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 4 16 4 4 0 
		
	
	(42) Includes normal in-patients and day cases
	I have set targets for 2004–05 that no patient has to wait more than 18 months for treatment by March 2005, and no more than 15 months by March 2006.

Hospital Waiting Times

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people waiting for hospital inpatient or day treatment (a) in Northern Ireland, (b) in each health and social services board area and (c) each health and social services trust in (i) June 2002 and (ii) June of each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The most recent published waiting list data available show the position at 30 June 2004. Data for quarters ending 30 June from 2000–04 are as follows:
	
		(a) Northern Ireland: Number of people waiting for in-patient admission to hospital 1
		
			 Quarter ending 30 June Number 
		
		
			 2000 49,995 
			 2001 54,892 
			 2002 59,951 
			 2003 55,414 
			 2004 50,975 
		
	
	(43) Includes normal in-patients and day cases.
	
		(b) Provider(44) health and social services board area: Number of people waiting for in-patient admission to hospital 2
		
			  Quarter ending 30 June 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Eastern 30,757 33,391 34,874 32,145 30,261 
			 Northern 6,680 7,550 9,281 8,451 6,095 
			 Southern 7,198 7,914 9,563 8,818 8,188 
			 Western 5,360 6,037 6,233 6,000 6,431 
		
	
	(44) Health board where the patient will be receiving treatment.
	(45) Includes normal in-patients and day cases.
	
		(c) Health and social services trust: Number of people waiting for in-patient admission to hospital 1
		
			  Quarter ending 30 June 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Mater Infirmorum 1,491 1,667 2,058 1,887 2,096 
			 Belfast City 6,481 7,594 7,405 6,559 6,331 
			 Royal Group 11,599 12,398 13,061 11,916 10,551 
			 Green Park 4,983 5,106 5,360 4,882 5,185 
			 UC and HT 5,340 5,732 6,004 5,925 5,078 
			 Down Lisburn 863 894 986 976 1,020 
			 United 5,122 5,402 6,553 6,222 5,263 
			 Causeway 1,558 2,148 2,728 2,229 832 
			 Craigavon Group 6,262 7,004 8,503 7,678 7,412 
			 Newry and Mourne 936 910 1,060 1,140 776 
			 Altnagelvin 3,750 4,027 4,017 4,164 4,853 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 1,610 2,010 2,216 1,836 1,578 
		
	
	(46) Includes normal in-patients and day cases.
	Considerable progress has been made in recent years in reducing the number of patients waiting and I am keen to see this sustained. I have set targets for 2004–05 that no patient has to wait more than 18 months for treatment by March 2005, and no more than 15 months by March 2006.

ICC Trophy Tournament

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance (a) his Department and (b) Government agencies are providing to aid preparations for hosting the ICC trophy cricket tournament in the Province in July 2005.

Angela Smith: No Northern Ireland Departments are directly involved in providing assistance to aid preparations for hosting the ICC trophy cricket tournament.
	However, the Sports Council for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Events Company are in discussions with the promoters of the tournament about possible assistance.
	The Northern Ireland Tourist Board has issued an events marketing support scheme application to the organisers, which will be considered once it has been submitted.

Immunisations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of uptake of primary immunisations is for children aged 12 months in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The rate of uptake of primary immunisations for children aged 12 months in Northern Ireland is shown for the four quarters of the financial year 2003–04 in the following table:
	
		
			  Immunisation against: 
			 Quarter ending: Diphtheria Tetanus Polio Pertussis Haemophilus Influenza B Measles, Mumps, Rubella Meningitis C 
		
		
			 June 2003 95.1 95.1 95.1 94.7 94.9 0.1 95.1 
			 September 2003 95.1 95.1 95.1 94.7 95.4 0.0 95.6 
			 December 2003 95.4 95.4 95.4 95.0 95.5 0.0 95.7 
			 March 2004 94.4 94.4 94.2 94.0 94.5 0.0 94.7 
		
	
	Note:
	The uptake rate is in respect of children who reached their first birthday during the relevant quarter.
	Primary immunisation for measles, mumps and rubella is not normally given to children under 12 months of age.
	The information is published on a quarterly basis.

Laurelhill School

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the South Eastern Education and Library Board has employed a public relations company to deal with public and media inquiries concerning the Laurelhill School dispute and the boards deficit; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: I have been advised by the Chief Executive of the South Eastern Education and Library Board that the board did not employ a public relations company in relation to the board's financial deficit. However, Laurelhill Community College, on the advice of the board, engaged a public relations company to assist it to deal with the national media attention which arose as a result of industrial action taken by teaching staff at the school.

Learning Disability

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals in the Province with a learning disability are offered an annual health check; and what steps he is taking to increase this total.

Angela Smith: Annual health checks have not been routinely offered to people with a learning disability.
	The terms of the recently revised GPs contract do not require the offer of annual health checks to patients who have a learning disability. However, GPs provide the same level of care to those with a learning disability as they do to other patients, when they present with a health problem.
	The current independent review of mental health and learning disability has identified the physical health of people with a learning disability as an area for particular action. The review will be making a number of recommendations on the delivery of primary care services that would benefit people with a learning disability. The recommendations will inform the future development of these services.

Learning Disability

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase the number of individuals with learning disabilities who are registered with a general practitioner.

Angela Smith: The independent review of mental health and learning disability, commissioned by the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety, is currently consulting on their report on learning disability "Equal Lives" and hopes to present their recommendations to Government early next year.
	Among other things, the review has been examining the health and wellbeing of people with a learning disability. While the report finds that for many such people, the family GP plays a very significant role, it calls for a number of improvements to ensure access to the full range of health services for people with a learning disability. These will be considered once the report is presented to the Department.

Learning Disability

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are being taken to ensure that literature on health is provided in an easy-to-read format for those with learning disabilities.

Angela Smith: In line with its Equality Scheme, the Department makes its publications available on request in alternative formats to meet people's differing needs. In 2004 the Department issued good practice guidance to the Health and Personal Services on access to information. The Department is currently taking forward a project on providing health and social care information in accessible formats and this includes consideration of the needs of people with learning disabilities.

Lucy Crawford

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  if he will conduct a full independent inquiry into (a) the death of Lucy Crawford in the Erne hospital in April 2000 and (b) subsequent investigations conducted by the Sperrin Lakeland Health Trust; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what investigations he has conducted into the actions of Sperrin Lakeland Trust following the death of Lucy Crawford in April 2000.

Angela Smith: I believe it is of the highest importance that the general public have confidence in the quality and standards of care provided by our health and social services. Consequently I have announced that Mr. John O'Hara QC is to conduct an independent inquiry into the issues raised regarding the deaths of Lucy Crawford, Raychel Ferguson and Adam Strain.

Ministerial Meetings (Paramilitaries)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met (a) members of the Brigade staff of (i) the UDA, (ii) the UVF and (iii) the INLA and (b) members of the Army Council of the Provisional IRA; and what he discussed on each occasion.

Ian Pearson: In the course of advancing the political process I have met with a number of groups that give political analysis to paramilitary organisations, and who assure me that they are serious about committing themselves to a political path and an end to violence. Such meetings are a means of testing that commitment and I will continue to encourage that process at every opportunity. I have made it clear that continuing paramilitary activity is unacceptable and only serves to undermine the standing of those who are engaged in the political process.

Neutral Working Environments

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken in response to complaints against the chief executive of the Child Support Agency in relation to a breach of his Department's policy on wearing Gaelic Athletic Association sports clothing.

John Spellar: This is an internal personnel matter in relation to an individual and has been dealt with in accordance with the Department's personnel procedures.

Nursery Schools (Strabane)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve nursery school provision in the Strabane area.

Barry Gardiner: The following improvements to nursery school provision are planned to take place in the current year:
	Ballycolman Nursery School, Strabane
	The provision of a new soft play area.
	Edwards Primary School, Castlederg
	A new school is under construction at present, which includes nursery provision. It is expected that the main school will be occupied around Christmas, although the nursery unit may open before then.

Patient Exemption Fraud

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated level of patient exemption fraud was in the family practitioners service in each financial year from 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The estimated level of patient exemption fraud in the family practitioners service from 1999–2000 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 13.8 
			 2000–01 11.3 
			 2001–02 10.0 
			 2002–03 10.0 
			 2003–04 8.0 
		
	
	The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, together with the Health Boards and the Central Services Agency, continues to make considerable efforts to reduce losses through patient exemption fraud. There has been good progress and tackling fraud remains a key priority.

Police Funding

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average spending on policing was per capita in Northern Ireland in 2003–04.

Ian Pearson: The average policing cost per head of population is £405.75. This figure is based upon revenue running costs including non cash items and excluding Capital and Patten expenditure.

Pre-school Education

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how full-time nursery education in the pre-school year will be implemented for children in (a) Greater Shankill and (b) North Belfast.

Barry Gardiner: With the exception of the nursery places at Hazelwood Integrated Primary School, which were created under the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme, all nursery places in North Belfast and the Greater Shankill area are already full-time.
	The Pre-School Education Expansion Programme in Northern Ireland provides only funding for part-time provision I have no plans to fund full-time nursery places at Hazelwood Integrated Primary School at this time. Any future decision to do so will depend on the outcome of the review of pre-school education.

Pre-school Education

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the outcome of the review of pre-school education.

Barry Gardiner: It is expected that the outcome of the Review of Pre-School Education in Northern Ireland will be published in March 2005.

Probation Board

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent appointment of the head of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: The maximum period of appointment to the position of chairman of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland is two three year terms, that is six years in all. The present chairman will complete this period at the end of this month. Following an open competition conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, I have therefore appointed Ronald Spence as chairman of the Probation Board for a three year term starting on 1 December 2004.

Public Sector Pay

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is his policy to introduce (a) regional and (b) local pay for the public sector in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The Government recognise that pay flexibility at regional and local levels is an important part of their objectives for greater efficiency in the delivery of public services and for regional development. In Northern Ireland, this approach is being taken forward through the development and maintenance of a Pay and Workforce Strategy. This uses objective evidence to support pay policies that reflect regional and local labour market conditions whenever possible and ensure that pay is sufficient to recruit, retain and motivate staff to deliver public services to the standards required.

Schools (East Londonderry)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) primary and (b) post primary schools will need to be replaced in the East Londonderry constituency within the next five years; and what the planned timetable is for each school.

Barry Gardiner: In the East Londonderry constituency three primary schools and one post-primary school have received approval to proceed to tender. The completion date for each will be dependent on the planning, procurement and construction work required so it is only possible to provide approximate timescales at this stage.
	A further three primary and two post-primary schools have been identified by the relevant school authorities as requiring a major capital works scheme. These have been assessed by the Department of Education as having a need for a scheme and economic appraisals will be undertaken to determine the options. Progressing the schemes following the appraisal process will be subject to the availability of resources.
	The relevant school authorities have also identified a further eight potential schemes for assessment within the next five years.
	The schools and their current status are as follows.
	1. Schemes approved for funding:
	Primary
	Dungiven, Largy and Burnfoot primary schools—A new amalgamated replacement primary school. Estimated completion date autumn 2006.
	Carnalridge Primary School, Portrush—a new school on existing site. Estimated completion date autumn 2006.
	Glasvey and Limegrove Special Schools—a new amalgamated school in Limavady. Estimated completion date autumn 2007.
	Post-primary
	Coleraine College—an extension/refurbishment on existing site. Estimated completion date autumn 2007.
	2. Schemes in planning which have been assessed by the Department of Education as having a major capital need and are at the economic appraisal stage
	Primary
	Ballykelly Primary School
	Crossroads Primary School, Kilrea
	St. Canice's Primary School, Dungiven
	Post Primary
	Dominican College, Portstewart
	Coleraine High School
	3. Other schools notified to the Department by the relevant school authorities for future assessment (within next five years)
	Primary
	Drumachose Primary School, Limavady
	Millburn Primary School, Coleraine
	Portstewart Primary School
	Killowen Primary School, Coleraine
	Gorran Primary School, Aghadowey
	Macosquin Primary School, Coleraine
	Millstrand Integrated Primary School
	Post-primary
	St. Patrick's High School, Dungiven

Self-employment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of those in full-time employment in Northern Ireland during 2004 are self-employed.

Barry Gardiner: Latest figures from the summer (June-August) 2004 Labour Force Survey estimated that 17.4 per cent. of people in full-time employment in Northern Ireland are self-employed.

Vehicle Registration

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many registered (a) private vehicles and (b) powered two-wheel vehicles there are in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland vehicle register does not easily distinguish between vehicles in private and company ownership. At 18 October 2004 the number of licensed vehicles and vehicles with Statutory off the Road Notifications on the Northern Ireland vehicles register was 914,970. 32,378 of these were powered two-wheel vehicles.

Water Conservation

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to promote water conservation as part of the reform of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: Water conservation and the sustainable and long-term management of water resources is an objective of the Water Framework Directive. This Directive puts forward pricing as a means of achieving this objective and it requires that, by 2010, the price charged to water consumers for abstraction, water supply and collection and treatment of waste water reflects the true cost of the provision of the services. The proposed charging regime for water and sewerage services, which I announced on 13 September, has been developed in light of the Directive and the water pricing policies within it will require a contribution from households and other sectors towards the cost of the water and sewerage services they receive as an incentive to use water efficiently.
	Water Service is taking forward a wide range of measures to promote water conservation and reduce demand for water.